by Jamie Oliver
SERVES 4
OR 8 AS A STARTER
35 MINUTES
leftover cooked turkey skin
8 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 onion
1 leek
2 stalks of celery
olive oil
6 cups chicken or veg stock
1½ cups Arborio risotto rice
½ cup Prosecco
10 oz leftover cooked white turkey meat
6 tablespoons leftover turkey gravy
1¾ oz Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon mascarpone cheese
optional: new season’s extra virgin olive oil
I like to place any leftover turkey skin from the bottom of the carcass into a cold casserole pan, then put it on a medium heat so the fat naturally renders out and it becomes super-crisp, like crackling, turning halfway. When it’s golden, strip in the thyme leaves to crisp up for just 10 seconds, then scoop the crispy skin and thyme onto a plate, keeping the pan of flavorsome fat to one side.
Peel the onion, wash the leek and trim with the celery, then finely chop it all. Return the pan of fat to a medium heat, then add the veg and fry for 10 minutes, or until soft but not colored, stirring occasionally, and adding a splash of oil, if needed. Pour the stock into a separate pan and bring to a simmer on a low heat. Stir the rice into the veg for a couple of minutes, then pour in the Prosecco. Let it cook away, then start adding the stock, a ladleful at a time, letting each one cook away before adding more. Keep a close eye on it and stir constantly for 17 minutes, or until the rice is cooked but still retains its shape. Meanwhile, finely chop the turkey meat, stirring it into the pan halfway through the 17 minutes. Reheat your gravy, then sieve it into a prewarmed pitcher ready to pour at the table.
When the risotto is done, add enough extra stock to make it oozy, then remove from the heat. Finely grate over most of the Parmesan and beat it in with the butter and mascarpone, then taste and season to perfection. Put the lid on and take to the table. Divide between your hot plates, make a well in the middle of each portion, and flamboyantly pour in the hot gravy, then crack and crumble the crispy skin and thyme over the top. Finish with a tiny extra grating of Parmesan, and a thimble of new season’s extra virgin olive oil, if you’ve got it.
TOAD IN THE HOLE
YORKSHIRE PUDDING FILLED WITH LEFTOVERS & DIRTY GRAVY
What’s not to love about this bad boy—all the best bits of the Christmas Day meal, wrapped up in crispy fluffy Yorkshire pudding like an extra present! You can pretty much use whatever leftovers you have in this epic creation—enjoy.
SERVES 4
45 MINUTES
2 rashers of smoked bacon
4 chipolata or small pork sausages
4 fresh sage leaves
4 leftover roast potatoes
¼ cup leftover stuffing
8 leftover Brussels sprouts
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
6 tablespoons sunflower oil
YORKSHIRE BATTER
3 large eggs
2⁄3 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup reduced-fat (2%) milk
DIRTY GRAVY
1 leek
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or turkey dripping
3 oz leftover cooked turkey meat
1 heaping tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Cranberry sauce (see here)
22⁄3 cups chicken stock
So, guys, to make this incredible treat obviously requires you to have leftovers, which will differ for all of us. I’ve given you the recipe for the pigs in blankets and the batter, and everything else is based on what you’ve got—just don’t overload it.
Start by moving your oven shelves around so you have plenty of space in the middle of the oven for your Yorkshire to grow. Preheat the oven to 425°F. For the Yorkshire, beat the eggs into the flour with a pinch of sea salt, then gradually whisk in the milk to give you a smooth batter, and pour into a pitcher.
Wrap half a rasher of bacon around each sausage, poking in a sage leaf, too. Pop onto a baking sheet with the potatoes (roughly chop, if you like), balls or pinches of stuffing, and the sprouts. Pick over the rosemary leaves and place in the top of the oven for 10 minutes. Pour the sunflower oil into a baking dish (12 × 10 inches) and place in the oven on the shelf underneath, to preheat the oil properly.
Meanwhile, for the gravy, wash, trim, and finely slice the leek, then put it into a frying pan on a medium heat with the butter or dripping. Cook for 10 minutes, or until soft, stirring occasionally. Shred in the turkey meat and stir in the flour and cranberry sauce, followed by the stock. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until thick, then taste and season to perfection.
For the next bit, you need to be cool, calm, and safe, as you’re working with hot oil, and you want to retain the heat from the oven. Have your pitcher of batter ready and two oven gloves or kitchen towels. Keep the pan of oil in the oven and carefully pull the shelf out a little. Holding it steady, pour in the batter, then gently transfer everything from the pan above into the center. Push the shelf back in and keep the door shut for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the Yorkshire is puffed up and golden.
Serve the Christmas toad in the hole with the dirty gravy, any extra cranberry sauce, and with a nice fresh Winter slaw (see here) on the side.
CARBONARA CAKE
SPAGHETTI, SMOKED HAM, & LOTSA LOVELY CHEESE
This is a delightfully simple, luxurious, yet slightly trashy leftover meal that is sure to wow everyone. It gives you classic carbonara flavors, but with a crisp exterior to contrast with that creamy interior. Total comfort heaven.
SERVES 6
1 HOUR
10 oz dried spaghetti
olive oil
3½ oz leftover hard cheese, such as Parmesan, Cheddar, Gruyère
3 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream
8 oz leftover cooked smoked or Jerk ham (see here)
3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cook the spaghetti in a pan of boiling salted water according to the package instructions, then drain and leave to steam dry and cool in the colander. Meanwhile, rub the inside of an 8-inch loose-bottomed cake pan with oil, then finely grate a thin layer of cheese all over the base, shaking it up the sides.
Once the spaghetti is cool, transfer it to a large bowl, gently pulling it apart, then beat and add the eggs, along with the cream and a generous pinch of black pepper. Chop and add the ham, finely grate in the rest of your cheese, and pick, chop, and add the rosemary leaves. Toss together well, then pack into the cake pan and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 35 minutes, or until golden, crisp, and cooked through.
Leave the carbonara cake to sit for 3 minutes in the pan, then carefully and confidently run a knife around the rim and release it proudly onto a board. Serve with a fresh, zingy lemon-dressed salad on the side.
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MIX IT UP
This is a great base recipe that’s able to embrace all sorts of seasonal loveliness at different times of the year—from spring peas and asparagus to autumn mushrooms or chunks of roasted winter squash.
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THAI GREEN CURRY
ROASTED SQUASH, LEFTOVER GREENS, TOFU, & PEANUTS
The first time I ever had Thai green curry I was sixteen years old and it blew my mind! This green curry paste is so quick to make, yet the flavors are really complex, refreshing, and delicious. With Christmas leftovers, it’s a dream. Boom.
SERVES 8
1 HOUR 15 MINUTES
1 butternut squash (2½ lbs)
peanut oil
2 × 14-oz cans of light coconut milk
14 oz leftover cooked greens, such as Brussels sprouts, Brussels tops, kale, cabbage, broccoli
12 oz firm silken tofu
2½ oz unsalted peanuts
sesame oil
1 fresh red chile
2 limes
CURRY PASTE
1 teaspoon cum
in seeds
2 cloves of garlic
2 shallots
2-inch piece of fresh gingerroot
4 kaffir lime leaves
2 tablespoons fish sauce
4 fresh green chiles
2 tablespoons unsweetened desiccated coconut
1 bunch of fresh cilantro (1 oz)
1 stalk of lemongrass
1 lime
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Wash the squash, carefully cut it in half lengthways and remove the seeds, then cut into wedges. In a roasting pan, toss with 1 tablespoon of peanut oil and a pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then roast for around 1 hour, or until tender and golden.
For the paste, toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan for 2 minutes, then tip into a food processor. Peel, roughly chop, and add the garlic, shallots, and ginger, along with the kaffir lime leaves, 2 tablespoons of peanut oil, the fish sauce, chiles (pull off the stalks), coconut, and most of the cilantro (stalks and all). Bash the lemongrass, remove and discard the outer layer, then snap into the processor, squeeze in the lime juice, and blitz into a paste, scraping down the sides halfway.
Put 1 tablespoon of peanut oil into a large casserole pan on a medium heat with the curry paste and fry for 5 minutes to get the flavors going, stirring regularly. Tip in the coconut milk and half a can’s worth of water, then simmer and thicken on a low heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the roasted squash, roughly chop and add the leftover greens, and leave to tick away on the lowest heat, then taste and season to perfection. Meanwhile, cube the tofu and fry in a pan on a medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of peanut oil for 2 minutes, or until golden. Crush the peanuts in a pestle and mortar and toast in the tofu pan until lightly golden.
Serve the curry topped with the golden tofu and peanuts, drizzled with a little sesame oil. Slice the chile and sprinkle over with the reserved cilantro leaves. Serve with lime wedges, for squeezing over. Great with sticky rice.
* * *
MIX IT UP
Veggies win in this beautiful recipe, but, of course, if you wanted to tear in some leftover cooked turkey or chicken meat, that would work a treat, too.
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TURKEY PIE
SWEET CREAMY LEEKS, SMOKY BACON, & CHESTNUT PUFF PASTRY
This amazingly comforting pie has to be one of my favorite ways, and one of the easiest, to use up leftover turkey and stuffing. The simple addition of crumbled chestnuts to the puff pastry means it’s a total game-changer.
SERVES 8
2 HOURS
4 rashers of smoked bacon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
olive oil
½ a bunch of fresh thyme (½ oz)
3 lbs leeks
1 lb leftover cooked turkey meat
optional: leftover stuffing
2 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
4 cups turkey, chicken or veg stock
2 tablespoons crème fraîche
optional: leftover turkey gravy
8 oz all-butter puff pastry (cold)
6 vac-packed chestnuts
1 large egg
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Chop the bacon and place in a large pan on a medium heat with the butter and 1 tablespoon of oil. Strip in the thyme leaves and fry for 5 minutes while you wash, trim, and finely slice the leeks (it seems like a lot, but they’ll cook down nicely). Toss the leeks into the pan with a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then cover and cook gently on a low heat for 40 minutes, or until soft and sweet, stirring regularly.
Tear up the turkey meat and stir it into the leeks, adding some stuffing too, if you’ve got it. Stir in the flour, followed by the stock and crème fraîche—any leftover turkey gravy will add great bonus flavor here, too. Simmer gently for 20 minutes, then taste, season to perfection, and turn the heat off. Quickly pour the mixture through a sieve over another large empty pan so most of the awesome gravy drips into the pan, then tip the filling into a 10-inch pie dish—you want your filling to still be a little bit saucy, so don’t drain it completely.
Roll out the pastry, crumble the chestnuts over one half of it, then fold the other half over and roll out again, crushing the chestnuts into it. Brush the edges of your pie dish with beaten egg, then loosely roll the pastry around your rolling pin and unroll it over the pie dish. Trim off any excess, then pinch and crimp the edges to seal. Brush the top with beaten egg, and don’t worry if the pastry tears, just use any pastry trimmings to patch up the cracks. You can also cut out little shapes to decorate the top of the pie, sticking them down with eggwash however you like. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the pastry is puffed up and golden. Reheat your gravy to serve on the side, reducing it, if needed, and everyone’s happy! Good with steamed greens and peas.
TURKEY FALAFEL
SHREDDED CABBAGE, PICKLED RED ONION & CHILES, HUMMUS, & WRAPS
I love this dish because the flavors couldn’t be more different from traditional Christmas dinner. It makes a brilliant brunch or lunch, and with the bright colors and soft and crunchy textures it will add a bit of freshness to your table.
SERVES 4
35 MINUTES
3 red onions
olive oil
1 × 15-oz can of chickpeas
10 oz leftover cooked turkey meat
1 fresh green chile
½ a bunch of fresh cilantro (½ oz)
1 level teaspoon ground turmeric
1 level teaspoon smoked paprika
1¾ oz feta cheese
1 heaping teaspoon cumin seeds
extra virgin olive oil
2 lemons
½ a red cabbage (1 lb)
1 pinch of ground cloves
½ a bunch of mixed fresh Italian parsley and chervil (½ oz)
½ a tub of quality store-bought hummus
4 whole-wheat wraps
4 pickled chiles
Peel and finely chop 1 onion and place in a pan on a medium-low heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Fry for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, drain the chickpeas and put them into a bowl, mashing half with a potato masher, then finely chop and add the turkey. Finely chop the chile and the top leafy half of the cilantro and add to the bowl with the turmeric and paprika. Crumble in the feta, add the cooked onions, and mix well. Divide into eight equal-sized portions, then shape and squash together into patties. Place on a pan, sprinkle over and evenly pat on the cumin seeds, then place in the fridge to firm up.
Meanwhile, peel and finely slice the remaining onions. Either dry fry or grill them on a medium heat to reduce the raw edge, then scrunch with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and the juice of half a lemon in a little bowl to make them a vibrant pink. Trim and finely shred the cabbage, then toss with the cloves, a good pinch of sea salt, 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, the juice of half a lemon, and a few torn parsley and chervil leaves. Loosen the hummus with the juice of half a lemon and a little water to give you a nice drizzling consistency.
Drizzle the falafel with a little olive oil. Place a large non-stick frying pan on a medium-high heat and cook them for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until golden and cooked through. Lightly warm the wraps through for a few seconds, then lay out, sprinkle over some cabbage and pickled onion, and divide your falafel on top, busting them open and drizzling them with hummus. Squeeze over the remaining lemon juice, pick over the remaining herb leaves, add a pickled chile to each wrap, then grab, roll up, and enjoy!
KEDGEREE
SMOKED HADDOCK, WINTER GREENS, FRAGRANT RICE, LIGHT SPICE, & EGGS
Kedgeree is one of my favorite things. I do have a bit of a problem in that I can’t stop eating it when I make it because I find it so damn delicious. And it’s also very comforting—perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or a hangover.
SERVES 6
45 MINUTES
1½ cups brown rice
16 oz undyed smoked haddock fillets
2 red onions
1 fresh red chile
½ a bunch of fresh c
ilantro (½ oz)
2 cloves of garlic
2-inch piece of fresh gingerroot
olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 heaping teaspoon fennel seeds
1 heaping teaspoon curry powder
7 oz leftover cooked greens, such as Brussels sprouts, Brussels tops, kale, cabbage, broccoli
7 oz frozen peas
1 lemon
6 large eggs
Cook the rice in a pan of boiling salted water according to the package instructions, then drain and refresh under cold water, leaving it in the colander. At the same time, poach the fish in a large pan of simmering salted water on a medium heat for 10 minutes, then carefully remove with a slotted spoon. Turn the heat up under the poaching water and bring back to a good simmer.
Meanwhile, peel the onions and finely slice with the red chile (seed if you like) and cilantro stalks. Peel and finely chop the garlic and ginger. Place it all in a large frying pan on a medium heat with 1 tablespoon of oil and the butter and cook for 10 minutes, or until soft but not colored, stirring occasionally. Crush the fennel seeds in a pestle and mortar, and stir into the pan with the curry powder.
Slice and add the leftover greens, along with the frozen peas, then gently fold in the rice with two spoons so it stays nice and fluffy. Flake in the poached fish, gently fold again, season to perfection with sea salt, black pepper, and lemon juice, then keep on a low heat for just 3 or 4 minutes while you poach the eggs to your liking in the simmering water. Place the eggs on top of the kedgeree, scatter over the cilantro leaves, and a little extra chile, if you fancy, then tuck in. Delicious served with mango chutney, or dollops of lemon-spiked yogurt.
ROYAL PASTA DOUGH
FOR SILKY, VELVETY PASTA
This is my ultimate pasta dough recipe, hence the name. And the best bit is, it’s still cheap for the volume it gives you. Enjoy this rolled or cut into a hundred different shapes, and feel the pride in making pasta yourself from scratch.