What To Make With Those Leftovers This Holiday Season

Monday Jan. 01, 2024

Viva

Got more ham than you know what to do with? Try this eggs benedict for brunch. Photo / Babiche Martens

Nailing serving sizes during the holiday season can be tricky. These recipes from Angela Casley will have you intending to make extras.

Dining on leftovers can give way to some of the most exciting dishes of the season. Blending rich savoury flavours with fresh ingredients can create a surprisingly divine

Ham hock eggs benedict

Serves 4

A flavoursome ham hock with spinach and a perfectly poached egg is an ideal Boxing Day breakfast. You can buy the bearnaise sauce, but a homemade version is a little more elevated and extra delicious. If you don’t rush the process, you’ll certainly impress your grateful dining companions.

1 large ham hock

½ onion, roughly chopped

Bearnaise sauce

2 Tbsp white vinegar

2 Tbsp lemon juice

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6 peppercorns

2 egg yolks

½ tsp Djion mustard

150g butter

To serve

120g spinach

4 eggs

Chunky toast

Firstly, cook the ham hock. Place it into a large pot. Cover with water, add the onion and bring to a simmer. Cook for 1½-2 hours or until the meat starts falling from the bone. Remove and shred the meat.
To make the bearnaise sauce, in a small pot place the vinegar, lemon juice and peppercorns. Bring to a simmer and let it reduce by half, then strain.
Place the egg yolks into a small bowl over gently simmering water. Whisk in the mustard and slowly add the butter a little at a time, allowing it to thicken, then add a bit more. Once it is all added, remove from the heat and whisk through the vinegar reduction.
To serve, toast the bread, wilt the spinach, poach the eggs and assemble with shredded ham and a spoonful of sauce. Serve hot.

A little smoky fish adds so much flavour to this savoury tart. Photo / Babiche Martens

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Leek, salmon and emmental wholemeal tart

Serves 4

If you’ve summoned some smoky fish for your Christmas dining table, it will be a welcome addition to this brunchtime tart. You’ll be able to make the most of your roasted vegetables and those loose sprigs of herbs by mixing them in with generous helpings of garlic and cheese.

Pastry

1 cup wholemeal flour

½ tsp salt

100g butter

1 egg

1 Tbsp cold water

Filling

1 Tbsp butter

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 leek, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

100g smoked salmon

1 cup grated emmental cheese

1 cup full cream milk

3 eggs, lightly whisked

1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme leaves

Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the pastry, place the flour, salt and butter into a kitchen processor, blitzing until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and 1 tablespoon cold water and blitz to form the dough. Add a little extra water if needed. Roll the pastry on a lightly floured bench to fit a 12cm x 35cm tin. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Preheat an oven to 180C. Bake the pastry blind for 20 minutes. Remove.
Heat the butter and oil in a large pot. Add the leeks and garlic, cooking slowly for about 10 minutes until completely softened. Remove and place into the tart case. Dot with the salmon and sprinkle with the cheese.
Combine the milk with the eggs and thyme, season well, then pour carefully over the filling. Place back into the oven for 40 minutes until the centre has set. Remove and cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Portion out your pavlova and serve up a handful of fresh berries. Photo / Babiche Martens

Four-ingredient berry meringue bombes

Makes 6

Use the last of your pavlova to serve up adorable single servings of meringue bombes. A hefty dollop of cream and a scattering of seasonal fruit (think berries and cherries) will make the dessert feel extra special. Once the bombes are in the freezer, they will last for up to a month.

3 cups frozen mixed berries, thawed

3 cups crushed meringues

300ml cream, lightly whipped

Fresh berries, to serve

Line six 8cm ring moulds or a 20cm cake tin with aluminium foil.
Place thawed berries in a food processor and whizz until smooth. Pour through a fine sieve, removing any pips. Reserve a third of a cup of puree for garnish.
Place meringues and cream in a large bowl and fold together gently. Slowly add puree, stirring just a little so it swirls rather than is completely mixed through.
Spoon mixture into the rings or cake tin, cover and freeze for a least four hours, or overnight.
To serve, sit bombes on the bench for 10 minutes to soften before plating. Garnish with berries and a drizzle of reserved puree.