Second helpings

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Posted at 8:34AM, 26 December 2008 by Carol Wilson - Food writer

I don't know about you, but after Christmas and New Year, (despite my annual intention to buy less food) I'm always left with quite a number of festive specialities in the fridge or cupboard.

The uneaten dried fruits and nuts; that half jar of cranberry sauce, mincemeat or brandy butter and the half-eaten panettone or Christmas pudding lurking in the fridge are all much too good to throw away - but I know that I just can't face serving them up yet again! But a little imagination can transform all those unlovely leftovers into something entirely different and delicious.

Cranberry sauce can be stirred into a meatloaf mixture before cooking or used to glaze pork chops or chicken breasts before grilling. Try it swirled into a cake or muffin mixture (it's really good with chocolate cake) with some chopped walnuts before baking, or spread it on pancakes and eat with ice cream.

I use rum, brandy, or any liqueur flavoured butter to make an unusual shortbread. Flavoured butter can also be combined with whatever dried fruits and nuts are to hand and used as a scrumptious filling for a large tart or small tarts. I make a delicious pudding by poaching dried fruits in cider or wine (sweetening if necessary) until absorbed and layering them in a baking dish with crumbled pannetone or Christmas pudding and pouring over cider or milk to cover and baking in a moderate oven until puffy and risen. Serve with cream or custard. Leftover panettone and pudding make a great base for a winter trifle too.

Crumbled Christmas cake or pudding, ginger wine, dried fruits, nuts and spices can all be stirred into softened vanilla ice cream, then stored in the freezer. Cranberries, walnuts and the finely grated zest of an orange and a small glug of brandy or rum is my particular favourite addition. I also like to add a splash of ginger wine to a cup of piping hot coffee and top with a swirl of cream.

Leftover candied fruits and Turkish delight can be chopped finely and added to a muffin or Victoria sponge mixture before baking as usual. I like to add a little rosewater too, for a delicate floral hint. Add leftover mincemeat to a cake mixture and bake or steam to make a quick pudding. Mincemeat adds a delicious spicy fruitiness when spread over the apples before topping with a crumble mixture and baking. Leftover diced marzipan is delicious added to a crumble, cookie or tea loaf mixture.

Does anyone have any more ideas for using up Christmas delicacies?

Comments

smitty

27 December 2008, 2:23PM
smitty

Crumbled Christmas pud mixed with melted chocolate and a dash of brandy makes great truffles.

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denise

28 December 2008, 8:56AM
denise

I have made some turkey soup which i do every year. For some unknown reason it is really salty, what can i do to take the salty taste away. Please help.

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James

28 December 2008, 5:15PM
James

Denise - Salty turkey soup - dilute it. Add milk, cream or water to dilute the salty taste, or add left over purreed vegetables - mash potato, swede etc. which will have the same effect & add a different flavour. Adding sugar counteracts too much salt to some extent - but don't add so much it's sweet.

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Kath

28 December 2008, 8:55PM
Kath

I have made the Christmas pie, which is a favourite every year. I now have 3/4 of a pack of vacuum packed Chestnuts leftover, any ideas what I can do with them please.

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Belinda

29 December 2008, 12:53PM
Belinda

I take the leftovers - especially puds - to the office - everything polished off within 2 hours of arrival with a cup of coffee & chatter on the in-laws ... Other leftovers, I invite the neighbours to 4 o'clock tea with turkey sandwiches - never had a complaint ...

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Anne

29 December 2008, 9:41PM
Anne

how about making a Pannetone bread and butter pudding . quarter of a large pannetone sliced and layered ( no need to butter this as is so rich ) into a dish covered with a custard of 3/4 pint creamy milk , 2 large eggs and 1 tablespoon sugar . i bake in the oven at about 160 degree fan oven till crisp and golden and fluffy. serve with leftover brandy or cointreau cream.

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carolann

30 December 2008, 10:41AM
carolann

Kath- you can add your leftover chestnuts to a beef/lamb or chicken casserole. Add them about 20 minutes before the end of cooking time just to heat through. You could also crumble them into savoury stuffing mixes.

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AnnC:-)

30 December 2008, 1:27PM
AnnC:-)

Well, my family love traditional stuff, so the leftover turkey ended up as a turkey & leek pie and the carcas a good stock for soup. We havn't unwrapped our pudding this year as I made a chocolate torte instead (recipe from Goodfood) any ideas for the pudding... would like to make it into something less stodgy.

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