Words by Melissa Blease
Four ways with Christmas Day leftovers
Keep this safe for Boxing Day!
1. Much more elegant than Turkey Curry: Turkey Fricassee (serves 4)
Heat 50g butter in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat. As soon as the butter starts sizzling, add 100g quartered mushrooms of your choice and sauté for 4-5 mins or until the mushrooms are brown and have started to release their moisture, adding 1 clove of garlic (peeled and crushed) for the last minute of cooking time. Add 1 generous tbsp plain flour, stir to form a paste and cook for another couple of minutes. Add 100ml dry white wine, sherry or a mixture of both. Allow the alcohol to bubble down for a minute or two, then add 200ml turkey or chicken stock and briefly bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for around 3-5 minutes, stirring continuously. Add 150ml double cream or crème fraîche and around 800g chopped/shredded cooked turkey. Simmer the mixture together until the turkey has thoroughly heated through. Serve immediately with boiled rice or mashed potatoes, sprinkled with finely-sliced fresh parsley.
2. The cheesiest dream dish of the season: End-of-Cheeseboard Macaroni Cheese (serves 4)
Cook 350g dried macaroni according to the instructions on the packet. Drain and set to one side. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Melt around 2 tbsp butter over a medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Add 3 tbsp plain flour and 'cook', stirring constantly, for around 2 minutes until the butter has thoroughly absorbed all the flour. Reduce the heat under the pan to medium and gradually add 500ml whole milk, whisking after each addition. When you've achieved a thickish, silky sauce, remove the pan from the heat and around 250g grated or chopped mixed cheeses: Cheddar, Brie, Camembert, Stilton – they're all good! When the cheese has melted in the residual heat of the sauce, add as much or as little Dijon mustard and/or cayenne pepper as you fancy, and season to taste. Fold the cooked pasta into the cheese sauce, tip into a greased baking dish, sprinkle grated hard cheese across the top (and a handful of breadcrumbs, if you've got any leftover bread lying around) and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden and bubbling on top. Allow the Macaroni Cheese to settle for around 5 minutes before serving on warm plates accompanied by a well-dressed green salad.
3. Sprout Pesto – yes, really!
Tumble 130g trimmed, halved sprouts into the bowl of a food processor along with 2 fat cloves of peeled, roughly-chopped garlic, 2 large handfuls of fresh basil leaves, 75g pine nuts, cashew nuts or walnuts (or a mixture of all 3), 75g grated Parmesan cheese and the juice of 1 lemon. Blitz to form a paste then, with the motor still running, add extra-virgin olive oil until you've reached the pesto texture of your choice (you'll probably use around 80ml olive oil). Serve the pesto stirred through hot pasta or rice topped with more grated Parmesan, or as part of a buffet spread drizzled with extra olive oil and accompanied by crostini for dipping. The pesto will keep in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
4. Better than the Christmas Pudding itself: Easy Christmas Pudding Ice Cream (makes around 10 portions)
Pour 1 x 397m tin of condensed milk into a large bowl. Add 600ml double cream and 100ml brandy or rum and whisk until the mixture forms stiff peaks. Crumble around 300g leftover Christmas Pudding into the bowl and fold it through the mixture using a large spoon. Line a 900g loaf tin (or suitably-sized container) with cling film and fill with the ice cream. Cover and freeze for at least 5 hours, or until frozen solid. Remove from the freezer around 10 minutes before serving to allow the ice cream to reach optimum creamy enjoyment temperature.
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