Delicious Boxing Day Recipes Using Christmas Leftovers
Last December, we went on a quest for the perfect home-cooked Christmas dinner and curated our favourite tips to share with you. This year we are following up with delicious boxing day recipes that you can make from your Christmas dinner leftovers.
After a challenging year, the traditional Christmas Day meal has become more cherished than ever, even if we can’t share it with as many of our family and friends this year. It is easy to overestimate the amount of food we need on Christmas Day and more often than not, we are left with a fridge brimming with leftover turkey or ham. The best option to get the most out of your Christmas meats is to create other dishes from the leftovers. Our festive blog this year aims to liberate your compost bin, sharing some delicious boxing day recipes that will make your leftovers luxurious.
If you are looking to make some luxurious leftover treats to enjoy on boxing day, the KCA team have poured over some of the best leftover recipes and curated them here to save you time this festive season.
In this blog, we will cover:
- Turkey Risotto
- Ham & Leek Baked Gnocchi
- Leftover Veggie Bubble & Squeak Brunch
- Christmas Pudding Ice Cream
Read on to learn these delightful boxing day recipes and make your Christmas dinner go further this year.
Jamie Oliver's Turkey Risotto
Jamie Oliver has to be the king of Christmas dinner, so it’s no surprise that his domain extends to Boxing Day leftovers too. One of our favourite recipes is Jamie’s Turkey Risotto, a festive treat that makes excellent use of your leftover turkey, gravy, and prosecco – should you have any left. A super cosy, saucy and delicate risotto full of festive flavour this recipe is sure to be a big hit with the family this Christmas.
Turkey Risotto Ingredients
- Leftover cooked turkey skin
- 8 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 onion
- 1 leek
- 2 sticks of celery
- olive oil
- 4 litres organic chicken or veg stock
- 300g Arborio risotto rice
- 125ml Prosecco
- 300g leftover cooked white higher-welfare turkey meat
- 100ml leftover higher-welfare turkey gravy
- 50g Parmesan cheese
- 25g unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon mascarpone cheese
- Extra virgin olive oil
Method
- Place any leftover turkey skin from the bottom of the carcass into a cold casserole pan
- Put the pan on the hob on a medium heat, so the fat renders out, and the skin becomes crispy
- When the skin turns golden, strip the thyme leaves, and add them to the casserole pan for just 10 seconds
- Spoon the crispy skin and thyme on to a plate, keeping the casserole pan to one side
- Peel the onion, wash the leek and trim the celery, then finely chop it all
- Add a splash of oil to the pan of fat and return to a medium heat, then add the veg and fry for 10 minutes until soft but not coloured, stir occasionally
- 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.
- Start adding the stock, a ladleful at a time, letting the stock cook away before adding more. Keep a close eye on it and continuously stir for 17 minutes 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 pre-warmed jug 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 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 extra virgin olive oil
For nutrition information and more details on this recipe, visit the Jamie Oliver website.
Ham & Leek Baked Gnocchi
Although Turkey is considered the traditional meat served for Christmas dinner, many opt for other meats such as roast beef or ham. If you are a family that prefers a holiday ham, this Ham and Leek Baked Gnocchi is a delicious cheesy treat that can serve 4.
Delicious baked gnocchi using Christmas day leftovers. Recipe courtesy of Country Living.
Ham & Leek Baked Gnocchi
Ingredients
- Cooking spray or butter for ramekins
- 500g of gnocchi
- 170g fontina cheese, shredded
- 1/2 a cup of finely chopped ham
- 1 1/4 cup of whole milk
- 3 tbsp of all-purpose flour
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 slices sandwich bread, torn
- 2 tbsp. melted unsalted butter
- 1 leek, sliced and rings separate
- Sliced fresh chives, for garnish
Ham & Leek Baked Gnocchi
Method
- Preheat oven to 180℃ (gas mark 4), lightly grease four 10-ounce ramekins; place on a baking sheet
- Combine gnocchi, cheese, and ham in a bowl. Transfer to prepared ramekins, dividing evenly. Whisk together milk, flour, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper until flour is dissolved, 30 seconds. Pour over gnocchi, dividing evenly.
- Stir together the bread and butter in a bowl until coated; toss in leaks. Sprinkle over gnocchi, dividing evenly. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, 34 to 36 minutes.
- Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with chives.
Boxing Day Bubble & Squeak Brunch
For your leftover vegetables, there’s nothing that says Boxing Day treat more than Bubble and Squeak. A tasty veggie dish, bubble and squeak turns your festive vegetables into the perfect breakfast, brunch or lunch. This particular Bubble and Squeak recipe is served with a poached egg and hollandaise sauce, a delicious winter warmer.
Bubble & Squeak brunch served with poached egg. Recipe courtesy of Daylesford.
Bubble & Squeak Ingredients (meat-free)
- A splash of Olive oil
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
- 440g of roast potatoes, cut into 2cm cubes
- 120g of leftover Christmas vegetables (cooked cabbage, brussels sprouts, swede)
- Left over stuffing (optional)
- 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
- 6 sprigs of thyme, leaves only
- 4 tbsp spelt flour or plain flour
- 1 poached egg per serving
Method
- Place a frying pan over a medium heat, add a splash of olive oil
- Add the shallots and garlic and sauté for 4-5 minutes until soft
- Transfer everything to a bowl, add the chopped roast potatoes, leftover vegetables, parsley, thyme, salt, pepper, and flour.
- Mix the contents of the bowl and lightly crush the contents with a potato masher or spoon
- Beat together 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks, stir the beaten egg through the mix
- Set a frying pan over a medium heat with a little olive oil
- Form the mixture into 8 patties
- Cook each patty gently for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden
- Divide the patties between hot plates, accompanies with a 1 poached egg
- Drizzle the eggs with your hollandaise sauce, adding a pinch of salt and pepper before serving
Visit the Daylesford website for the original recipe.
Homemade Hollandaise Sauce Recipe
- 500g butter
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar or tarragon vinegar
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 2 pinches of salt
- 2 pinches of cayenne pepper
- Melt the butter in a saucepan and skim any white solids from the surface. Keep the butter warm.
- Whisk together the egg yolks, white wine vinegar, a pinch of salt and a splash of ice-cold water in a metal or glass bowl that will fit over a small pan. Whisk for a few minutes.
- Place the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water and whisk continuously until pale and thick, about 3-5 mins. It is important not to let the eggs to get too hot at this stage as they will begin to scramble.
- Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the melted butter bit by bit until you have a creamy hollandaise. If it gets too thick add a splash of water
- Season with lemon juice and cayenne pepper
Leftover Christmas Pudding Ice Cream
You’ve had your festive feast, but there’s always room for a little dessert. Use up your remaining Christmas pudding in this simple, scrumptious festive ice cream with a dash of brandy.
Christmas pudding ice cream. Recipe courtesy of BBC Good Food.
Ingredients
- 4 large egg yolks
- 100g caster sugar
- 175g leftover Christmas pudding
- 2-3 tbsp brandy or orange liquor
- 300ml pot double cream
Method
- Whisk the egg yolks and sugar vigorously for 10 minutes until thick.
- Break up your leftover Xmas pudding with a fork and fold into the egg mixture until evenly distributed
- Pour in the brandy and mix again
- In a separate bowl, whip the cream into soft peaks
- Fold the cream into the egg mixture with a large metal spoon
- Pour mixture into a freezer-proof container, cover and freeze for several hours until set
We hope that you have enjoyed our selection of these Christmas dinner leftover recipes. As you can see, there are so many ways to re-imagine Christmas dinner leftovers into appetising meals to enjoy on boxing day or beyond.
All that is left to say, is from all of us at KCA, we wish you a wonderful Christmas and a happy new year.
