How To Make The Most Of Your Christmas Leftovers

With Christmas now upon us, many of you will be sitting down to a feast in the coming days! Albeit, a slightly smaller one than in the years gone by, but nonetheless, food will be eaten, drinks shall be drunk, and merriment shall be had! Your recipes for the big day itself are probably set in stone by now, but what about the days that follow on from the 25th? Often we are left with piles of turkey, tubs of extra roast potatoes, and whatever else we were far too liberal in cooking on the day. Well, for some of us, another plate of Christmas dinner warmed up in the microwave is the ‘norm’ for the next few days, but surely there are some more interesting alternatives that might just tantalise the taste buds a little more, and deliver a tasty ‘punch’ worthy of Boxing Day? Of course there are!

Usually there's no such thing as leftover cheese, but we're all guilty of over-buying for Christmas, meaning we're often left with cheese long beyond Christmas and Boxing Day! Here's a tasty recipe to use up some of that lovely leftover cheese, ham and walnuts from the Christmas platter.

Pear, Brie and Parma Ham Salad

Serves: 2
Prep: 15 mins
Ingredients:
bag of rocket
1 ripe pear, sliced
3 oz. (100g) Brie and Stilton cubed
4 slices Parma ham, cut into strips
¼ cup (30g) walnuts, chopped
Dressing:
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. maple syrup

Divide the rocket between two bowls. Peel the pear, cut into quarters, cut out the seed nests, and slice. Then arrange on the rocket evenly. Add the cubed cheese and the ham. Finally, top with nuts. Mix the dressing ingredients, season with salt and freshly ground pepper, and pour over the salad then serve. Voila! A tasty, Christmassy treat that requires little effort, and will go down a storm with cheese lovers!

Went a little overboard with the pigs in blankets this year? Why not turn them into this easy one pot dish?

One Pot Sausage and Turkey Chilli with Rice
Serves: 4
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Ingredients:
10 oz. (300g) turkey
½ cup (115g) rice
6 pigs in blanket
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp. oil
½ can chopped tomatoes
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 cup (250ml) vegetable broth
⅓ cup (60g) red kidney beans, drained
⅓ cup (85g) sweet corn, drained
⅓ cup (30g) grated cheese
Spices:
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. sweet pepper
½ tsp. hot pepper
salt and ground pepper

Heat the oil in a large pan and sauté the onion and garlic for 3-4 minutes. Chop the pigs in blankets in 1 inch pieces add this together with the turkey meat and fry for about 3-4 minutes until heated throughout. Add spices, mix, then add the uncooked rice and mix again. Next add the chopped peppers, beans, corn, canned tomatoes and broth. Mix and bring to a boil. Simmer covered on low heat for about 17-20 minutes. Add grated cheese, cover and heat for another 2 minutes until the cheese melts, then serve. Now, serve while piping hot!

Turkey and Broccoli Stir Fry

Serves: 2
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins

3.5 oz. (100g) black rice noodles
7 oz. (200g) leftover turkey, chopped
1 broccoli, diced into florets
1 tbsp. olive oil
4 tbsp. soy or tamari sauce
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tbsp. rice vinegar
1 tbsp. grated ginger
2 tbsp. spring onion, chopped
handful coriander, to serve

Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the packaging. Strain and rinse with cold water, then set aside. In a wok or deep pan, heat the olive oil and fry the turkey for about 1-2 minutes. Add in the broccoli florets and fry for another 1-2 minutes. Next, pour half a cup of water and 3 tbsp. of soy sauce, then cook until all the water evaporates and the broccoli is tender (about 10 minutes). In the meantime, mix together the remaining soy sauce, sesame oil, vinegar, grated ginger, and mix well. Once turkey and broccoli are ready, add in the cooked noodles and heat it for a 2-3 minutes. Take off the heat, pour in the sauce and gently mix. Serve with chopped spring onions and coriander leaves.

Whatever you end up doing over the Christmas holidays, we at Igluu hope you enjoy a wonderful, and indulgent time. It has been a particularly hard year for many of us, and while we are well aware that many of our customers are very much concerned with healthy eating, perhaps we could all be forgiven for having that extra helping of Christmas pudding this year. To all of you, we raise a glass, and hope that a good festive period is followed by a year of vastly improved fortune! Cheers everybody!

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