Leftover flours - what to do with?

[dragnlaw]

I have multiple 'flours' left over from .... (ahem) a while ago. Can I throw a Tablespoon here and there into anything that uses your regular every day flour?

Can't stand the thought of throwing it out.

For ex: I'm thinking of doing some Scalloped Potatoes. One of my recipes has the flour/butter/roux with milk made ahead and cooked then poured hot over the potato. Can I sub a bit or all with potato starch or potato flour? What about rice flour? or brown rice flour?

Those are the only ones I can think of off hand but I'm sure I have other flours hidden around some where.

 

[Kaneohegirlinaz]

following ...

 

[GotGarlic]

What kinds of flours are you talking about? I think it depends to some extent on the flour and its properties and the use you're thinking about.

In your example, the flour is the thickening agent for the roux. Potato starch and flour are also used for thickening, so they should work. I've only used rice flour for raising bread in a banneton. I know it's also used for deep frying, as for tempura, but I'm not familiar enough with it to know how else it can be used.

You might want to look up the properties and common uses of each of the flours you have and keep a list for reference.

 

[taxlady]

I don't think you can use potato starch in a roux. Yes, it is for thickening, but you use it more like you use corn starch. However, I have never tried using it in a roux, so I don't know. And make sure you are distinguishing between potato starch and potato flour. They are not the same thing. If I had potato flour, I might give it a try in a roux.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I had some almond flour and golden flax meal that I ‘buried’ in recipes calling for regular AP and whole wheat flour.

I used it to replace 1/4-1/2 a cup of the regular flour called for in the recipe. You have to be a bit careful because some flours, like the golden flax meal, act differently and may not be a one for one substitution.

Some of them may work well as the starch in coating mixes for chicken, fish, etc…

Google a few substitutions for the flours you happen to have and see if they are in fact one for one AP flour replacements.

Good luck and please keep us posted.

 

[cookiecrafter]

Do you remember why you bought the flour? That might jolt a recipe.

 

[dragnlaw]

Thanks all, good advice and points. I'll have to dig them out and list, along with quantities.
I do use the rice flours (white & brown) a fair amount.
But it was more the potato starch/flour, plus a few other things, as said, I'll dig them out.
they were mainly for making gluten-free breads, cakes and pies for a couple of friends who have celiac. 10 years ago gluten free groceries were not commonly available and what was, was horribly expensive.

 

[Badjak]

Yeah, let us know...
Rice flour can be used in bread (check banh mi)
Potato flour... Maybe to make potato balls or cakes, fry up thingy's, use together with potatoes

 

[pepperhead212]

So is that potato flour the bright white starch, or the ground up dried potatoes? I got some of that potato starch many years ago something that called for it specifically, but I never made it again, since I was not impressed. And when I tried to use it up, as a thickening starch, it did not work well - whatever I used it in would not stay thick, even until a second helping of the dish! So I dumped it eventually. If the potato flour is pure potatoes - yellowish, like ground up potato flakes - it would be great in a lot of breads. I keep "instant mashed potatoes" just for this - put 2/3 c in a glass measuring cup, and fill it to 1 c with water. In a couple of minutes, I have a cup of mashed potatoes, for whatever bread I'm adding it to. Rye breads are my favorite to add it to, but it's good in whites, too - a favorite is a potato bread with caraway seeds, out of an old James Beard book. And whole grain rye breads would be good for adding the flax flour to - maybe with some gluten, to make up for the flax and rye. I've added many flours to rye breads - flax, millet, barley, sorghum - as well as bran and wheat germ, and all were good!