Every cook has had a meal that didn’t turn out right. Whether we cooked it ourselves and missed the mark or made a hasty purchase—like fish that’s too salty, meat that’s overcooked, or cheese that dried out after sitting too long—there are ways to salvage the meal.
In every case, there’s a way to fix it.
Too Salty Fish
Hot-smoked fish is generally delicious and nutritious, but serving it can be tricky: as you start to clean it and remove the bones, it tends to fall apart. If the fish is overly salty, it can be a turn-off for everyone at the table.
Remove the skin, take out the bones, and pass the fish through a meat grinder, adding a bit of sautéed onion. Mix the resulting mass, place it in a salad bowl, and garnish with herbs.
Add enough butter to bind the mixture together without making it too salty.
You can use the same method to “rescue” over-salted fried fish, provided it’s not too bony.
Another Method: Combine equal parts of processed cheese, smoked fish, boiled egg, and mayonnaise—chop everything finely and mix it together.
Salty or Overcooked Meat
You can repurpose it as an ingredient in a pâté or meat salad. If boiled, fried, or smoked meat can’t be served as is, pass it through a meat grinder twice along with sautéed onions. Season with salt and pepper.
For the pâté, mix in a boiled egg and sour cream or mayonnaise.
For the meat salad, add diced boiled potatoes, pickles, green peas, and herbs.
If you plan to eat the pâté the next day, prepare it with butter or lard. This pâté makes great sandwiches and can be added to cooked pasta or used to make pancakes.
Dried Cheese
If your cheese has dried out a bit, grate it or chop it finely and store it in a jar with a tight lid. This cheese can be used in dishes made with meat, eggs, or vegetables.
Here are a few recipes to try.
Scrambled Eggs
Heat a skillet with some fat. Pour in 2 to 4 beaten eggs (1–2 servings) seasoned with salt. Cook for a few minutes, sprinkle with grated cheese, cover with a lid, and let sit off the heat for a couple more minutes.
Croutons
Slice stale white bread, rub one side with garlic, spread with butter, and sprinkle with grated cheese. Place the croutons on a baking sheet and bake in the oven.
