Don’t view leftovers as second-class food; with the right treatment you can often make meals even tastier than the first time around. Here are a few recipes to use up any leftover festive veg and turkey.
turkey quesadillas
1 small to medium-sized butternut squash, peeled & diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 red or white onion, finely diced
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp paprika
1-2 fresh chillies, deseeded & finely chopped
leftover turkey, chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
sea salt & ground black pepper
4 large flour tortillas
a little oil for brushing
large handful coriander leaves
200g grated cheddar
Preheat oven to 190’C/Gas Mark 5. Toss the squash, pepper, corn, onion, spices, chilli and olive oil in a large baking dish. Season. Roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes, until the squash is tender. Add the leftover turkey after 25 minutes so it can warm through. Brush each tortilla on one side with a little oil. Put one of the tortillas in a large non-stick frying pan, oil side down. Sprinkle some cheese over one half of the tortilla, then the veg mixture, then a few coriander leaves. Fold the other half of the tortilla over to make a half circle, gently pressing down with your hands to flatten. Gently cook for a minute or two, until the tortilla is crisp and golden brown (keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn). Carefully turn over using a large fish slice and cook on the other side. Keep warm in a low oven while you repeat with the others. Cut each one in half to serve.
turkey risotto
3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1l chicken or turkey stock
splash of white wine
400g risotto rice
300-500g cooked chicken or turkey
1 tbsp fresh mixed herbs, chopped
4 tbsp parmesan, grated
salt & pepper
In a large heavy-based saucepan heat the oil and gently cook the garlic and onion until softened but not coloured (about 5 minutes). Meanwhile, in a separate pan bring the stock to a gentle simmer. Add the rice to the onion and garlic and stir until coated in oil. Cook for a couple of minutes, until the rice is translucent. Add the wine to the rice and cook until absorbed, then add a few spoonfuls of stock to the rice and stir well. Cook until most of the stock has been absorbed before adding another spoonful. Continue cooking and gradually adding stock until the rice is creamy but al dente (you may not need all the stock). Fold in the cooked turkey meat, fresh herbs and parmesan. Season well and serve.
parsnip, Brussels sprout & bacon potato cakes
serves 4
This is a jazzed-up version of bubble and squeak and can be adapted to finish up all sorts of leftover vegetables, though parsnips, sprouts and bacon is a particularly satisfying combination. A poached or fried egg or sausages would be a good addition.
200g parsnips, peeled & cut into even-sized pieces (alternatively, you could use leftover boiled, steamed or roasted parsnips)
3 tbsp olive oil
300–400g potatoes, peeled & cut into even-sized pieces
200g Brussels sprouts, outer leaves removed
8 rashers smoked streaky bacon, finely sliced
polenta flour (or use ordinary plain flour), for dusting
salt and black pepper
Heat the oven to 200°C/Gas 6. Toss the parsnips with salt, pepper and about a tablespoon of the oil. Spread over an oven tray and roast for about 40 minutes, until soft and beginning to caramelise. Remove, allow to cool then roughly chop. While the parsnips are roasting, boil the potatoes in salted water until soft, about 20 minutes. Drain well and mash while warm. Keep your mash as dry as possible so that the cakes hold together; if it seems wet stir it over a low heat for a few minutes.
Cook the sprouts in plenty of salted boiling water until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well and cut into quarters. Fry the bacon over a medium–high heat with a drizzle of oil in a large frying pan (preferably non-stick) until really crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Keep the oil left in the pan to fry the cakes. Mix all the veg with the bacon and season with salt and pepper. Dust your hands with flour then mould the mixture into burgersized patties. Add the remaining oil to the frying pan, place over a medium heat and fry the cakes in batches until they are golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Add more oil to the pan if you need it. If the first cakes have cooled down by the time you have fried the last, you can reheat them all in the oven for 5–10 minutes, until piping hot.
Variations
* Replace the parsnips with roasted beetroot or squash for striking coloured alternatives.
* Use raw grated apples instead of bacon for a vegetarian option.
* Experiment with your greens: try cabbage or kale.
creamy sprout, leek & smoked ham pancakes
makes 4, prep 15 mins, cook 30 mins
for the pancakes:
100g buckwheat flour
1 egg
300ml milk
50g butter, melted
for the filling:
25g butter
1 leek, finely shredded
200g brussels sprouts, thinly shredded
25g buckwheat flour
300ml milk
75g strong cheddar cheese, grated, plus a little extra for sprinkling
2 tsp dijon mustard
small handful of roughly chopped dill leaves (optional)
1 pack of Riverford smoked ham
make the pancakes:
Put the flour and a good pinch of salt in a bowl. Crack in the egg, add a splash of milk and whisk together to form a thick, smooth paste. Gradually add the rest of the milk, whisking as you go. Add a teaspoon of the butter to the batter. Use kitchen paper dipped in a little of the butter to grease a non-stick pancake pan (or a 20-21cm frying pan). Ladle in enough batter to just cover the pan, rolling it around to spread it out. Cook on a medium high heat for 1½ mins, until small bubbles start appearing and the underneath is golden. Carefully turn it with a fish slice or spatula. Cook for approx 1 minute more, until the other side is golden too. Remove to a plate, cover with greaseproof paper or foil, and repeat until you have 4 good pancakes (sometimes the first one can go awry).
make the filling:
Melt the butter in a large frying pan. Add the leek and sprouts and fry on a low heat for 10 mins, until softened. Add the flour and stir for 2 mins. Gradually stir in the milk, then add the cheese. Simmer for a few mins until the cheese has melted and the sauce thickened. Season and stir in the mustard and dill. Lay the pancakes on a grill tray. Lay slices of ham over half of each pancake, then add a couple of spoonfuls of the filling. Fold the pancakes over, sprinkle a little extra cheese on top and grill on a low to medium heat, until the cheese has melted and the tops of the pancakes are a little crispy. Or you can warm them through in a medium oven if you prefer.
Brussels sprout & pancetta pasta with sage & roast garlic cream
serves 4
Roasting garlic gives it a sweet, caramelised flavour that suits this dish, but it does take a little time, so you might as well roast several heads and save some for other dishes. If you’re short of time, just add a couple of crushed or finely chopped garlic cloves towards the end of the onion cooking time. We’ve gone for a spelt pasta because we like its nutty flavour alongside the sweet garlic sauce, but any pasta will do.
1 whole garlic bulb
200ml double cream
1 tbsp olive or sunflower oil
250g pancetta or streaky bacon, diced
1 onion, very finely sliced
6–8 sage leaves, finely shredded
small glass of white wine (optional)
400g dried spelt or other pasta
500g Brussels sprouts, outer leaves removed, halved or quartered, depending on size (keep a little of the core intact so the pieces hold together)
4 tbsp Parmesan, finely grated
salt and black pepper
First, roast your garlic. Heat the oven to 180°C/Gas 4 and follow the method on page 284. Once cooked, leave to cool slightly, then separate the cloves and squeeze the skin to release the flesh. Save half for another day and mix the remainder with the cream. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan, add the pancetta and fry, stirring now and then, to brown it. Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add a splash more oil if the pan seems dry, lower the heat, add the onion and fry very gently for 10 minutes until softened. Stir now and then to stop it catching. Add the pancetta and sage to the onion. Turn up the heat and stir for 2 minutes. If using the wine, add it now and let it reduce for a couple of minutes, then add the garlic cream and let it bubble away for a couple more minutes. Meanwhile, put two pans of salted water on to boil. While the onion and pancetta are cooking, add the pasta to one pan of boiling water and cook according to the packet instructions. Drain, reserving a little of the pasta cooking water. Meanwhile, blanch the Brussels sprouts in the other pan for 3–4 minutes, depending on size. Drain. Stir half the Parmesan into the sauce, then toss in the cooked pasta and sprouts, adding a little reserved pasta water to thin the sauce if needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste then serve sprinkled with the rest of the cheese.
Visit the recipe pages on our website for further recipes, or add organic veg to your order.
For more ideas for a Christmas rich in veg, download our seasonal booklet full of recipes and tips from our Riverford cooks and you, our customers. Available to download here: www.riverford.co.uk/christmas-veg.
