How to give your Christmas leftovers a makeover

We know the scene. The guests have gone, you’ve (finally) done all the washing up and you’re left with the rest of the Boxing Day ham, a medley of vegetables and the last of the cheese board. Rather than resorting to an uninspiring sandwich, whip up something a little more exciting with our Christmas leftover recipes. Cutting down on food waste and reinventing those familiar festive flavours, these leftover Christmas dinner recipes will have you wishing you could have leftovers everyday of the year.

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Leftover Christmas quiche



Ingredients:

  • 3 eggs
  • 250ml single cream
  • 50g grated Cheddar
  • 50g any other cheese you've got left (Brie or Stilton work well)
  • 100g cooked and shredded ham
  • Pre-rolled shortcrust pastry
  • Vegetables (parsnips, carrots, courgettes – anything goes)
  • Fresh sage


Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180˚C, gas mark 4 and line your tin with the pastry. Cover it with baking paper, weigh down with baking beans and bake for 10 minutes in the oven.

2. Remove the paper and beans and bake for another 10 minutes. Pre-baking will ensure the crust doesn’t get soggy from the filling. 

3. In the meantime, chop your leftover veggies into smaller pieces. Mix the eggs, single cream, salt and pepper in a large bowl and whisk to combine, then stir in your leftover ham and cheeses. Lastly, add in fresh sage.

4. Remove the crust from the oven and arrange the chopped vegetables on top. Then carefully pour over the egg and cream mixture, ensuring your veggies are fully covered. 

5. Bake for further 30-40 minutes, until golden and the centre has set. Allow to cool before removing from the tin and serve on its own or with leftover salad.  

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Gratin dauphinoise potatoes with leftover ham and veg 



Ingredients:

  • 200g shredded and cooked ham
  • 1kg potatoes (less if you're using more veg) 
  • Vegetables (use whatever you have leftover)
  • 100g grated Cheddar
  • 400ml single cream 
  • Red onion
  • 1 tablespoon thyme
  • Fresh basil for garnish (optional)


Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200˚C, gas mark 6 and grease your baking dish.

2. Chop the onion and thinly slice your potatoes – the thinner the slices, the quicker they’ll cook. If you’re adding other veggies, cut them into smaller pieces too.

3. Arrange an overlapping layer of potatoes, veggies and ham in your dish and sprinkle over the chopped onion. Pour over the single cream, making sure your dish is fully covered, and season well with salt, pepper and thyme.

4. Bake for 40 minutes, then take the dish out of the oven and sprinkle over the grated cheese. Return to the oven and bake for further 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden and crispy. 

 

 

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