Darina Allen: What to do with those Christmas leftovers
Even when you are super organised, Christmas dinner is still quite a mission, but whipping up some recycled leftovers is a more chilled affair entirely.
I love the improvisation and creative challenge of incorporating dollops of this and that into something entirely different.
Think Asian, Moroccan, Middle Eastern and Mexican as well as traditional favourites.
So let’s think what you might have left over apart from the usual morsels of turkey, ham or goose - maybe plum pudding, stale bread, cranberries or sprouts.
Several of these, eg cranberries can be frozen for another time and the sauce itself (see last week’s recipe), are good for months.
Mincemeat has a long shelf life, a year at least and can gradually be used when the fancy takes you. It makes delicious Eccles cakes and Pear, Frangipane and Mincemeat tart, all very more-ish when served warm.
Add a teaspoon of mincemeat to a basic muffin recipe and serve them warm with left over brandy or rum butter, no need to apologise for that, in fact there could well be a ‘scrap’ to get the last morsel.
Fresh or frozen cranberries can also be added to muffins or a cranberry loaf popped into ice cubes with a fresh mint leaf to enhance Christmas lemonades and sodas.
They are also super delicious added to pear compote.
Apple and cranberry chutney goes deliciously with pork or some cold duck or goose.
Left over bread of all kinds can of course be frozen, made into breadcrumbs for gratins or pannagratto or as a basis for a bread and butter pudding.
We’ve also got delicious recipes for mincemeat and for a cranberry and raisin bread and butter pudding.
Brussel sprouts keep well in a cold larder or a fridge but basically they are best when they are really fresh.
Do try them roasted or shredded into salads or quickly blanched and dressed as a last minute addition to risotto or a pilaff rice with lots of grated Parmesan or Coolea cheese and maybe a few crisp cubes of chorizo or Merquez sausage scattered over the top.
The remains of the ham is a bonus rather than a bother, apart from sandwiches and wraps, it can be used in toasties, croque monsieur and eggs benedict.
So here are some more recommendations to whet your appetite and empty out your fridge and pantry in a fun and delicious way.
I’m loving pear cous cous – looks like little bobbles and can be used as a pilaff or as an accompaniment to a meal.
Serves 8
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
215g (7½oz) pearl couscous
450ml turkey, chicken or vegetable stock
150g (5oz) dried cranberries
100g (3½oz) pine nuts toasted
50g (2oz) spring onions, green and white parts thinly sliced at an angle
75g (3oz) approx ½ red onion chopped and washed under cold water
Zest of 1 organic lemon
Freshly squeezed juice of ½ lemon to taste
3-4 tbsp coriander sprigs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb (450g) cooked, diced brown and white turkey meat and some crispy skin
Heat 2 tablespoons of the extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan, add the couscous and stir for 3 or 4 minutes until coated and toasted.
Add the seasoned stock, bring to the boil, reduce to a simmer and continue to cook for about 10 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the coucous is al dente.
Drain, toss in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and allow to cool.
When cold, add the dried cranberries, toasted pine nuts and chopped and sliced onions. Add the turkey meat.
Grate on the lemon zest over the top, squeeze on some freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Add the coriander leaves, toss, taste and pile into a bowl and serve.
This light, simple and refreshing salad has a wonderful Autumn freshness.
Serves 4
2 large Russet of Cox’s Orange Pippin apples
4 Brussels sprouts
12-16 hazelnuts, toasted and thinly sliced or chopped
4 radicchio leaves
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
100g (3½oz) Coolea cheese
4 tsp Highbank apple syrup
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Slice the apples and Brussels sprouts very thinly on a mandolin or by hand and place in a wide bowl.
Add the hazelnuts and dress very gently with olive oil and lemon juice and season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.
Cut the radicchio leaves into strips or pull into bite sized pieces and divide between 4 plates or a large flat serving dish.
Spread the apple, sprout and hazelnut mixture over the radicchio in a single layer.
Peel, thin slices off the cheese using a vegetable peeler or cheese slicer and lay over the salad.
Drizzle 1 teaspoon of apple syrup over each salad and finish with a pinch of sea salt and serve as soon as possible.
A croque-monsieur is the quintessential Parisian sandwich.
It’s really no more than a grilled ham sandwich topped with grated cheese, but it appears in many different guises.
Sometimes a croque-monsieur is topped with a thick Mornay sauce, or transformed into a croque-madame with the addition of an egg.
Makes 1
A dab of butter
2 thin square slices best quality white bread (pain de mie in France)
1 slice best quality ham, cut to fit bread
1oz (25g) Gruyère cheese, grated
Preheat the grill.
Butter the slices of bread on one side. Place the slice of ham on one buttered side and cover with the other slice of bread.
Pop the sandwich under the grill and grill on one side until golden.
Remove, turn and cover the uncooked side with the grated cheese. Return to the grill and cook until the cheese is bubbling and golden.
Eat immediately while hot — bon appetit!
Serves 6
6 Pears
225g (8oz) sugar
600ml (1 pint) water
A couple of strips of lemon peel and juice of ½ lemon
150 g (5 ozs) of cranberries
Fresh mint leaves
Bring the sugar and water to the boil with the strips of lemon peel in a non-reactive saucepan.
Meanwhile, peel the pears thinly, cut in half and core carefully with a melon baller or teaspoon, keeping a good shape.
Put the pear halves into the syrup, cut side uppermost, add the lemon juice, cover with a paper lid and the lid of the saucepan.
Bring to the boil and simmer until the pears are just soft — the tip of a knife or skewer should go through without resistance. Add the cranberries, cook for 3-4 minutes or until they just burst.
Turn into a serving bowl, chill and serve, on their own or with homemade vanilla ice-cream and fresh mint leaves if available.
This is another dual-purpose jam that can be used as a sweet or savoury accompaniment.
Delicious on scones or with curd cheese, cold turkey, ham, pork or venison.
Makes 7 x 450g (1lb) jars
1kg (2lb) Bramley’s Seedling cooking apples
1kg (2lb) cranberries
1.7kg (33/4lb) granulated sugar, warmed
Peel, core and chop the apples.
Put the chopped apple into a wide, stainless-steel saucepan and add the cranberries and 300ml (½ pint) of water.
Bring slowly to the boil and continue to cook over a medium heat until the apples and cranberries dissolve into a pulp.
Add the warmed sugar and stir to dissolve. Increase the heat and cook until it reaches a set.
Bottle in sterilised jars and cover while still hot. Store in a cool, dry place.
Makes 12
150g (5oz) soft butter
150g (5oz) caster sugar
150g (5oz) self-raising flour
2 large free-range eggs
2 tbsp milk
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
3-4 tbsp of mincemeat
Brandy Butter
175g (6oz) butter, softened
150g (6oz) icing sugar
4 tbsp brandy
Equipment
One cupcake tray lined with paper cases
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
Put all the ingredients except milk and mincemeat into a food processor, whizz until smooth (1-2 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add milk and whizz again for a couple of seconds. Fold in three tablespoons of mincemeat.
Divide evenly between the bun cases, put one tablespoon of mixture in each case.
Alternatively, put a half-tablespoon of the cake mixture into each case, put about a half-teaspoon of mincemeat on top and cover with another half tablespoon of the mixture.
Bake for 20-25 minutes approx. Allow to cool on a wire rack.
To make the Brandy Butter
Cream the butter, add the icing sugar, beat well.
Finally add the brandy.
Pipe a rosette or blob of brandy butter cream on top and decorate with Christmas fancies.
Makes 12
150g (5oz) soft butter
150g (5oz) caster sugar
150g (5oz) self-raising flour
2 large free-range eggs
2 tbsp milk
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
3-4 tbsp of mincemeat
Brandy Butter
175g (6oz) butter, softened
150g (6oz) icing sugar
4 tbsp brandy
One cupcake tray lined with paper cases
Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4.
Put all the ingredients except milk and mincemeat into a food processor, whizz until smooth (1-2 minutes). Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add milk and whizz again for a couple of seconds. Fold in three tablespoons of mincemeat.
Divide evenly between the bun cases, put one tablespoon of mixture in each case.
Alternatively, put a half-tablespoon of the cake mixture into each case, put about a half-teaspoon of mincemeat on top and cover with another half tablespoon of the mixture.
Bake for 20-25 minutes approx. Allow to cool on a wire rack.
To make the Brandy Butter
Cream the butter, add the icing sugar, beat well.
Finally add the brandy.
Pipe a rosette or blob of brandy butter cream on top and decorate with Christmas fancies.
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