CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS CAN become the cornerstones of our calendars, and one particularly joyful ritual is the heavenly grace of leftovers.

Christmas dinner itself often blazes past us in a whirl of anticipation, peeling, roasting and basting. A lot of expectation rides on this dressed-up roast supper, sometimes adding the bitter taste of stress to the sauce.

It’s perhaps why leftovers, and what we choose to do them, help set the stage for some of the best and most relaxing Christmas memories. We’re not expecting a turkey and stuffing sandwich to taste quite so special, or for some re-fried sprouts to take on new culinary meaning.

These two recipes can be enjoyed without meat if you fancy a leaner few days after Christmas, but both work nicely with either turkey, ham or both. Since the traditional Christmas dinner stays true to the delicious but milder flavours of crispy roast potatoes, white meat and gravy, I’ve added a bit of flavour inspiration from further flung kitchen cupboards, in case your taste buds could do with the treat of honey-spiked soy sauce and crispy pittas.

Aoife McElwain Aoife McElwain

Soy & Honey Sprouts with Turkey or Ham

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon runny honey
• 1 tablespoon sunflower or vegetable oil
• About 250g sprouts, cooked or raw
• 1 small cup of rice
• 2 eggs
• 1 spring onion
• Pinch of chilli flakes
• Leftover turkey or ham

Method

1. Heat the soy sauce, runny honey and oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium to high heat. Stir until mixed and allow to come to a gentle simmer.
2. Meanwhile, if the sprouts are raw, prepare them by slicing them in half and removing the outer layer of the sprout leaf.
3. Add the sprouts to the simmering soy sauce. If cooking from raw, cook them in the frying pan over a medium to high heat for 15 minutes or until crispy and cooked al dente. If already cooking, they’ll only need about 5 minutes to crisp up and take on that lovely soy sauce flavour. You can add some leftover turkey or ham to the pan at this point to soak up the soy sauce. Transfer the sprouts and leftover meat to a bowl and keep warm.
4. While your sprouts are sizzling, cook a small cup of rice. Put the rice in a pot with a lid and add double the amount of cold water to rice – so two small cups in this case. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil, cooking until the water is evaporated.
5. In the pan you cooked your sprouts in, add a drizzle of oil and crack two eggs over a medium high heat. Fry to your liking.
6. Divide the rice into two bowls. Top with a fried egg each. Divide the sprouts, and turkey or ham if using, between the bowls. Top with some sliced spring onion and a pinch of chilli flakes. Serve with some extra soy sauce, lime juice, and some sweet chilli sauce or peanut sauce if you like.

Aoife McElwain Aoife McElwain

Mint & Lime Yogurt Carrots with Crispy Pittas (and turkey if you want)

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 5 or 6 whole cooked carrots, or whatever you have left over
• Half a teaspoon of cumin seeds
• Half a teaspoon of runny honey
• 1 tablespoon of sunflower or vegetable oil
• 1 large pitta bread, torn into pieces
• 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil
• 1 tablespoon of za’atar (to make your own, see below)
• 4 tablespoons of yogurt
• 1 fresh lime
• Handful of fresh mint
• Handful of feta cheese
• Salt
• Pepper
• Leftover turkey slices
• A few pinches of sumac (or some hot chilli powder)

How to make your own za’atar: This intoxicating spice blend is used widely throughout North Africa and the Middle East. To make a simple homemade version, mix together two tablespoons of dried thyme, two tablespoons of dried oregano, one tablespoon of lightly toasted sesame seeds and a teaspoon of coarse sea salt.

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 220c/ 200c fan / gas mark 7.
2. Place your cooked carrots into a large roasting tray. Add the cumin, honey and oil, and season with salt and pepper. You want to heat the carrots through and allow them to take on some of the cumin and honey flavour. They’ll only need about 15 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, on a second tray, spread out the pitta bread pieces. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with za’atar. Add to the hot oven for about 10 minutes, until the pitta bread is golden and crisp.
4. If you want to use up some leftover turkey, sprinkle with a few pinches of sumac before re-heating in the oven wrapped in tinfoil to reduce the meat drying out.
5. Make your yogurt dressing by mixing the yogurt with the juice of a fresh lime and some fresh mint.
6. Transfer your carrots to a serving dish. Top with crumbled feta cheese, and a generous drizzle of your mint and lime yogurt. Top with some extra fresh mint.
7. Serve alongside the crisp pitta breads and the sumac turkey.

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