Three ingenious ways to reuse Christmas leftovers

Eating leftovers for days on end can be boring, but these recipes are worth the effort, says Molly Codyre

The ultimate Boxing Day toasted sandwich (Boursin)

According to the charity FoodCycle, 48 per cent of Britons admit to over-buying food and drink at Christmas. This isn’t unusual — we are all too familiar with the taste of three-day-old turkey, vowing to never touch the meat again by the new year.

But the prospect of what to do with Christmas leftovers can be overwhelming and monotonous, the same food consumed on repeat during the lull between Christmas and new year. Well… no longer. This December, Boursin and FoodCycle have teamed up with Kenny Tutt to create three recipes that will reinvigorate your leftovers and your appetite.

The ultimate Boxing Day toasted sandwich

This roundup would not be complete without a Christmas sandwich (Boursin)

There is truly no better use of leftovers than a Christmas sandwich. Popularised by chains throughout the UK, this version is a lightly creamy, potato-packed, warming take on the classic. Plus: it utilises two leftovers in one, turkey and potatoes.

Serves: 4 servings

Difficulty: easy

Ingredients:

8 slices of thick white sourdough or bloomer bread

8 slices of leftover turkey, both white and brown meat

Turkey stuffing, if there’s any left

4-5 leftover roast potatoes

Good handful of rocket

Cranberry sauce

Spreadable salted butter

Black pepper and sea salt

150g pack of Boursin Garlic & Herbs

Method:

Heat your oven to 180C fan/200C non-fan/gas mark 4.

Place any leftover potatoes on a baking tray and get them crunchy by roasting for 6-8 minutes. Season with a little salt and set aside.

Spread each slice of bread with salted butter and place butter side down on a chopping board or plate to start building your sandwiches.

Top four of the bread slices with cranberry sauce, rocket, turkey and stuffing. Crush your roast potatoes and place on top and season with black pepper.

Generously spread a good helping of Boursin Garlic & Herbs on the other four slices. Sandwich the two together and press down a little.

Heat a large frying pan or skillet over a medium heat. Cook the toasties in the pan for 2-3 mins each side, squashing with a spatula every now and then, until the bread is crisp and golden and the cheese has melted.

Cut in half to serve whilst warm.

Winter root vegetable hash brown, wild mushrooms and poached egg with Boursin Garlic & Herbs

A has makes a hearty alternative to bubble and squeak (Boursin)

While bubble and squeak might be the most common way to reuse vegetables after Christmas, a hash can make a hearty alternative. In this recipe, Tutt ingeniously uses root vegetables to not only breathe new life into what is often the most overlooked leftover, but also up your nutrition count for the day.

Serves: 4 servings

Difficulty: easy

Ingredients:

2 floury potatoes, peeled

2 carrots, peeled

1 parsnip, peeled

1 small brown onion, peeled

Few generous handfuls of wild or chestnut mushrooms

5 good free range eggs (fresher eggs will make it easier to poach)

Splash of white wine or distilled malt vinegar

Sea salt to season

Knob of butter or splash of oil

150g Boursin Garlic & Herbs

Method:

Coarsely grate the potatoes, carrots, parsnip and onion into a clean tea towel and then squeeze out the excess liquid by twisting the towel. Place the mix in a large bowl. Whisk one egg and add to the grated vegetables along with a good couple of pinches of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Mix the ingredients well.

Heat a splash of oil or knob of butter in a heavy based frying pan and when the oil is hot (but not smoking), add even spoonfuls of the hash mixture into the pan and flatten into patties about 1cm or ½in thick. Flip over once browned and crispy for about 3-4 minutes each side. When done, set aside. These can easily be reheated gently in the pan or in a hot oven.

Next, roughly chop your mushrooms and sauté in a hot frying pan with a little salt and black pepper and knob of butter.

To poach your eggs, use a deep, large pan and fill about halfway with water and a good dash of white wine vinegar. This will help set the egg. Bring the water to the boil and use a slotted spoon to create a whirlpool in the water. Crack the egg into the middle of the whirlpool. You may want to crack it into a ramekin first to make it easier and help the egg keep its shape. Let the egg set for 3-5 minutes depending on how runny you want it. You can use a slotted spoon to take it out and lightly squeeze it to test. When done, gently remove onto some kitchen towel to drain.

Place the hot hash on a plate and top with the sautéed mushrooms. Generously crumble some Boursin over the top and finish with a warm poached egg. Season with a pinch of salt and fresh cracked black pepper.

Brussel sprout and cranberry pakoras with Garlic & Herb Boursin Dip

Sprouts really come into their own here (Boursin)

Of this dish, Tutt says: “It’s sad that sprouts only really make a guest appearance at Christmas,” and I’m inclined to agree with him. Handed a bad reputation thanks to a habit of overcooking and not allowing the vegetable enough care, sprouts can really come into their own when handled properly. This recipe gives them a crispy makeover, and takes advantage of the classic sweet and salty combination to convert even the most sceptical of sprout eaters.

Serves: 4 servings

Difficulty: easy

Ingredients:

200g Brussels sprouts

1 medium brown onion

Small handful coriander

2 green chillies

1 small knob of peeled ginger

100g dried cranberries

½ tsp chilli powder

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp turmeric

150g gram flour

170g water

1 tsp Salt

Vegetable oil, enough to fry

Splash of milk

150g Boursin Garlic & Herbs

Method:

Chop your Brussels sprouts in half and then slice the sprouts thinly, slice your onions. Roughly chop the coriander, finely chop the chilli and grate the ginger. Roughly chop your dried cranberries.

In a large mixing bowl combine the chilli powder, cumin, turmeric, chopped coriander, chilli, ginger, gram flour and water with 1 tespoon of salt. Mix well and then add the Brussels sprouts, sliced onion and cranberries. This should create a thick batter.

Carefully heat up your oil in a large pan, wok or use a deep fat fryer if you have one. Be ready with a slotted spoon and some kitchen towel on a plate for when the pakoras are fried. Test that the oil is hot enough by placing a small piece of batter in the oil. It should bubble and float to the top. When cooking with hot oil do not leave it unattended and make sure the handle is not reachable by little hands.

Using a spoon, drop in small balls of the batter and fry for 2 minutes on either side until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. The pakoras can easily be heated up again in a hot oven if not served straight away.

Make your super simple creamy Boursin dip by gently heating up the cheese with a small splash of milk for 2-3 minutes for a rich dippable sauce. Enjoy with your crispy festive pakoras.