The festivities are over and the eating marathon has been run. Leftover turkey wrapped in tin foil dominates the fridge, roast potatoes sit cosily in a parcel of greaseproof paper, while a lunchbox houses a medley of sprouts, carrots and parsnips, all kept fresh under an airtight lid. Christmas may be over, but the favourite family tradition of leftover season has just begun.
But how to bring new life to those leftovers? If the remnants of your Christmas feast are served for a second time exactly as they were on the special day of 25 December, then enthusiasm may be lacking around the dining table as you present a Groundhog Day dinner.
The centrepiece of your Christmas dinner was probably turkey. Often derided for being dry, turkey can take on pleasing new levels of moisture when used in leftover dishes such as curry, a casserole or when shredded and turned into a filling for spicy Mexican tacos. Go one step further and toss turkey meat into a vegetable soup base with a pinch of curry powder and blitz it in the food processor for a hearty and simple supper.
If your dinner revolved around lamb, give the cold meat a memorable second act by shredding it and mixing it with aubergine and tagliatelle for a hearty pasta supper. Roast beef, a popular choice for Americans on Christmas Day, can be sliced thickly into strips and transformed into a tasty open flatbread sandwich with the help of some red pepper hummus and pickled cucumbers.
Beef and red pepper hummus flatbreads
Pulled lamb and aubergine tagliatelle
Roast vegetables acquire a delicious caramelisation that intensifies the day after cooking, adding great flavour and sweetness to any leftover dish. Just warm them through gently and they're good to go with salads, cheeses and cold meats. Perhaps crush leftover roast potatoes and fry them to make some rough and ready hash browns, or dice the spuds and toss them into an omelette for a reviving Boxing Day brunch.
Leftovers can also be made more interesting with the help of a well-stocked store cupboard. Any element of a Christmas banquet can be enhanced by a selection of pickles, mustards and chutneys. Dill-flavoured gherkins, pickled onions, a dollop of piccalilli or a generous spoonful of a fruity chutney brings spice, aroma and acidity to a lunch of leftovers.
Add a freshly baked baguette or some slices of crusty bread with creamy, salted butter and suddenly you have a sandwich deli in your post-Christmas party plans.
For some, the word ‘leftovers’ signals dry turkey and soggy vegetables that don’t inspire much festive feeling. But, if revived with thought and flair, Christmas dinner can enjoy a delicious second act that will prolong the festivities.
