From the magazine...
It’s just possible that I might enjoy leftovers even more than Christmas lunch…opening the fridge and wondering what delicious concoctions I might whip up with the bowls of turkey, chunks of pink ham, dishes of cranberry sauce and enormous amount of cheese (please do remind me why I always think we will need so much?) and chocolate!
I can only think the appeal of these meals lies in the effortlessness of their creation and the casualness of their consumption! The best turkey sandwich ensconced in tin foil and munched on the windiest of beaches on Boxing Day with gulps of scorching hot tea from a flask, or my favourite turkey, ham and leek pie eaten snuggled in a blanket in front of the fire watching a Christmas film. Hopefully you will find ideas that will inspire you to do something fun and interesting with your festive leftovers!
Miranda's top 10 ways to use up leftovers:
- Stir mincemeat into shortbread before baking.
- Sprinkle nuts, cranberries and brown sugar on top of your cake mixture before baking.
- Make bubble and squeak with any leftover vegetables.
- Make turkey and ham pie.
- Caramelise nuts by putting them in a hot frying pan and stirring through 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of soft brown sugar, bubble then tip onto baking tray and cool. These keep well in a sealed jar and are delicious on ice cream or thick yoghurt.
- Use up clementines, cranberries and fruit and vegetables (kale, beetroots, carrots, broccoli) from your Christmas fruit and vegetable supplies to whizz up healthy smoothies.
- Stir leftover Christmas pudding into vanilla ice cream and freeze to make a delicious pudding.
- Make soup.
- Melt chocolate and double cream to make chocolate ganache, use a small ice cream scoop to spoon the set ganache into balls, refrigerate or freeze and you will have delicious homemade chocolate truffles.
- Boil up the turkey bones with onions, carrots and water to make stock. Freeze and use for risottos and soups.