Christmas time is full of individual traditions. One of my traditions, as it will be for many, is to find creative ways to use up the leftovers.
Part of the pleasure of Christmas is a little indulgence and having extra foods to nibble on. The key to not ending up with too many leftovers is planning.
Have a look at what you have in the cupboard, fridge and freezer. Before buying food in check what you already have. This may be the most obvious statement but so easy to have a check and save doubling up. Also check use by dates on what you have in, to prioritise what should be used first. My biggest tip is to use up what you have in the freezer. Doing this will make space to store any leftovers you don’t want to eat straight away. I’m one for making a little extra when I cook. Sometimes it goes into the fridge for the next day, other times in the freezer… 3 months later it can be still in there. The result is a full freezer with very little space.
Again, obvious, but the shops only shut for a couple of days. So, it’s not always necessary to buy in one go, as much as we are often tempted to. Add to this the convenience of online shopping means leaving the house, struggling with the crowds and the cold can be avoided.
Having said that, part of the pleasure of the Christmas period is to be able to relax and be a little indulgent, enjoying some nice food.
Post–Christmas lunch inevitably will end with spare cooked vegetables. For me bubble and squeak on Boxing Day is a must. Whatever vegetables you have fry them up, add any nut roast and cranberry sauce to the mix. When cooked top with hot gravy. Delicious. When I asked the other chefs on the team about their recipe ideas, Chef Ollie suggested adding chestnuts to the mix for a little extra protein and texture.
If a big fry up is not your thing, cooked vegetables are a great base for curry, chilli, cottage pie, hot pot, soups, frittata, wraps, fritters, pie, or pasty fillings the list really goes on. Bear in mind if adding cooked vegetables into a stew curry etc. with fresh vegetables allow time for uncooked vegetables to be cooked first. If not, you may end up with a sloppy mess. With this jalfrezi recipe add any cooked vegetables you have towards the end rather than partially through the cooking process as the recipe states.
Any bits of cheese can be turned into a sauce for mac and cheese or cauliflower cheese, added to pizza toppings, or if you fancy making a little bit a pastry a delicious cheese and onion pie. Alternatively try crumbled on soup or a wrap, sandwich or toastie. Whether vegan or dairy cheese it’s a very versatile ingredient. Chef Claire suggested bringing out whatever cheese you have to a buffet table with pickles, salad and bread. Also, cheese can be frozen. It can be a little crumbly when it thaws but fine for most uses.
If you find yourself with a little spare cake (I find this a difficult concept!) it can be used in many ways. Use it as a base for trifle or crumble, add into the batter mix for Christmas pancakes or waffles or add to ice cream. Ben and Jerry have made a career of adding all sorts of things to ice-cream. Serve as a breakfast treat with yoghurt, fresh fruit and a little honey or maple syrup on the top. Sponge cake can be used as a base for tiramisu, or as my mum used to do in the 1970’s, serve with custard.
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What about spare chocolate, (stop laughing!) Chocolate can be added to just about any dessert, melted as a luxurious sauce for ice cream or pancakes. Have a go at our vegan banana bread. The recipe calls for chocolate chips but really any chocolate will work. Or have a try of these hazelnut truffles. Homemade flapjacks can be jazzed up with a little chocolate or even have a go at millionaire shortbread. Dip strawberries into melted chocolate for a treat.
Most leftover biscuits can be used as a base for a cheesecake. Simply crush the biscuits and add a little melted butter. Press the mixture into a pie case and leave to chill for 30 minutes. Mix cream cheese, cream (vegan versions work very well), a little icing sugar, lemon juice and zest. Spread the mixture over the top of the biscuit base and chill again for 30 minutes. Alternatively, try this recipe using refreshing mango. Fresh or frozen works a treat.
If you are still after a little inspiration have a look at our recipe section on the website. We have all sorts of recipes that can be easily adapted to what you have in.
In the meantime, have a wonderful Christmas and enjoy those leftovers.
