We all tend to go big on the food front at Christmas – but that can cause a lot of waste.
All that meat and veg and cheese might languish in the fridge for a few days before inevitably making it into the bin.
But it doesn’t have to be this way. If you’re smart with your leftovers you can make delicious, varied meals for the whole family to last you until the new year.
All you need is a little inspiration to turn those bland, rich Christmas foods into tasty, healthy dinners – and you can even portion them up and freeze them for a later date if you can’t get through them in time.
Great British Bake Off semi-finalist Chetna Makan teamed up with Onken to create two new recipes that are perfect for this time of year – and ideal for using up leftover turkey. Why not use your time during the bank holidays to give them a try?
Leftover turkey pepper pie recipe
- 2tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 green pepper, thinly sliced
- 400g tin of chopped tomatoes
- 1tsp salt
- 1tsp chilli powder
- 2tsp curry powder
- 400g leftover turkey or leftover chicken/meat, shredded into pieces
- 200g Onken natural set yogurt
- 320g ready rolled puff pastry
- 1 egg, lightly beaten for egg wash
Heat the oil in a pan and add the onions. Cook for 5 minutes until softened then add the garlic and after a minute add the peppers.
Cook for another 5 minutes then add the tomatoes. Cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes.
Next, add in the spices followed by the leftover turkey. Cook for 2 minutes then take it off the heat. Now add the yogurt and mix well.
Transfer this to a 1.5 or 2 litre baking dish. Preheat the oven to 200 C. Unroll the puff pastry and cut it into the size of the dish. Lay the pastry on top of the filling, making sure it is sealed from all sides.
Make a cut in the middle and brush the pastry with the egg and bake for 35-40 minutes until crispy and golden. Serve it immediately.
Leftover roast veg Indian fried rice recipe
- 2tbsp sunflower oil
- 1tsp cumin seeds
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- Leftover roast veg (carrots, parsnips, sprouts, potatoes or anything remaining in the fridge) chopped into small pieces
- 1tsp salt
- 1tsp chilli powder
- 1tsp garam masala
- 600g cooked basmati rice
- 1/2 cucumber, grated
- 200g Onken natural set yogurt
- 1/4tsp salt
- 1/4tsp ground cumin
Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin. Once they start to sizzle add the onions and cook for 5 minutes. Next add all the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes. Add the spices and then the rice and cook on high heat for 5 minutes.
In a bowl combine the cucumber, yogurt, salt and cumin and mix well. Serve it with the veg rice.
For a classic leftover curry, Richard Sayce aka Misty Ricardo – the author of Curry Compendium – has shared his fool-proof recipe, which can be used to make curry with turkey or any leftover Christmas bird.
With prep time of under 10 minutes, and a cooking time of 40 minutes, this recipe makes the perfect leftover family feast – and helps to cut down on waste.
Christmas leftovers curry recipe
This ‘xmasala’ curry recipe keeps things simple yet delicious, and you should find most if not all you need in the kitchen cupboards already.
Traditionally, the main ingredient will be turkey, but you can just throw any protein you like: lamb, ham, chipolatas, beef, pork, gammon etc. Meat can also be left out, of course, perhaps substituted by a can of chickpeas.
● 3tbsp vegetable or olive oil
● 1 large or 2 medium onions, chopped
● 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
● ½tsp ginger powder or chopped fresh ginger
● 1tsp cumin seeds or powder
● Salt, to taste
● 1½-2tbsp curry powder of your choice
● ½ – 3tsp chilli powder, to taste depending on your heat preference (optional)
● 1tsp dried fenugreek leaves aka Kasuri Methi
● 4tbsp tomato purée, or 1 tin of tomatoes, or 400g passata
● 1-2 mugs of hot water or stock of your choosing
● A few chillies, finely chopped (optional)
● 2-3tsp lemon juice
● The protein: If using meat or poultry, chop it into small pieces. Allow approx. 150g per person
● Leftover cooked vegetables, in any amount, shape, size, and colour you like: sprouts, carrots, peas, potatoes, parsnips etc.
● A sprinkle of fresh coriander and garam masala
Heat the oil in a suitable frying pan or saucepan then add the onions, cumin seeds, and a pinch of salt. Cook slowly on low-medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until the onion turns brown on the edges.
Add the garlic, ginger, cumin powder (if not using seeds), and a modest amount of salt. Fry a minute, stirring frequently.
Then add the curry powder, and optionally the chilli powder and fenugreek. Stir frequently for another minute.
Next add the fresh chillies and dollop in the tomato purée with a mug of water or stock (about 300ml). You can use passata or tinned tomatoes instead, in which case use half a mug (150ml) of water/stock instead.
Turn the heat up to medium-high, mix well, then cook for 20 minutes, stirring from time to time to avoid burning.
Squeeze in the lemon juice, dump the protein and vegetables in, mix, and let warm through for a couple of minutes.
Add more water or stock to thin the sauce if desired, then taste, and add more salt if needed.
Serve topped with fresh coriander (if you have some), and a sprinkle of garam masala if you have any. It adds a festive touch. Enjoy!
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