Coming up with a recipe and going out to buy the ingredients for a specific dish is exciting and feels like a well-designed project. The results of that dish may be beautiful, but there will always be something excess that gets left behind in every dish. That is when the true test of a cook occurs, in my opinion. The one thing I learned from my mother about cooking is, if you’re gonna buy a bunch of something, you better figure out how you’re going to use it all up. 

From my Homemade Shrimp and Cilantro Wonton Soup, that was the filling. I looked in my freezer and came across pie sheets that have been sitting for a while. Then came the idea. I made this light, refreshing wonton soup; now let's see if this filling can become something with a greater punch to it.

I wrapped the filling in the pie sheet and pleated the edges to seal it in. I then shallow-fried it until golden brown and cooked through. Served it with some fresh celery and sweet chili sauce. The result, a super hot and flaky meat pie with the aroma of cilantro bursting out of the sealed pie. The sweet, fried flavor from the pie sheet also made it so moreish, whereas the sweet chili and fresh celery cut down on the richness, creating an amazing balance of flavors. That is how I make sure no waste comes out of my cooking.