With your Tuesday lunch very much planned all year round, you may want a lighter post-Christmas dinner dinner, but still need a way to use up all that leftover turkey. Here's how to do that, plus a meat-free Monday and indulgent Friday meal to both ease your meat-guilt and finish off the Christmas week in style...
Shopping list
200g cooked turkey or chicken
100g smoked salmon
300ml cream
100g feta
150g natural yoghurt
100g brie
1 sheet ready rolled puff pastry
2 carrots
1 large parsnip
150-200g brussels sprouts
2 medium potatoes
1 red onion
Salad leaves
1 small lettuce
1 small mango
1 lemon
Basil
Coriander
Dill
Parsley
Garlic
Dried cranberries
Cinnamon
Ground cumin
Mild curry powder
Flaked almonds
Rice
Pasta of your choice
Olive oil
Cranberry sauce
Mayonnaise
Monday – Brussel sprout, cranberry, almond and feta pilaf, 25 mins
A gently spiced super herby rice dish for meat free Monday
Heat two tablespoons of good olive oil in a pan and fry off one sliced red onion and a couple of cloves of crushed garlic, when it starts to brown, add in a mug of rice and half the brussels sprouts, finely chopped (easiest way is to use a mandolin) then stir to coat each grain. Add a teaspoon each of cumin and cinnamon, stir and pour in two mugs of water. Bring to the boil then turn the heat down to medium and add a handful of dried cranberries. Do not stir the rice now, just leave to cook until all the water is absorbed. Finely chop half a bunch of dill, parsley and coriander and scatter over with a handful of almonds and a dollop of yoghurt on the side.
Tuesday – Coronation turkey salad, 5 mins
This retro salad is a light and tasty way to use up the inevitable turkey and the fresh mango gives it a fresh update
Mix the rest of the yoghurt with a tablespoon or so of mayonnaise and a teaspoon of curry powder. Shred the turkey and stir it through with the rest of the coriander and the mango, diced. Serve on top of the lettuce with flaked almonds scattered over it all.
Wednesday – Winter vegetable gratin, 50 mins
This is essentially a more nutritious dauphinoise; either eat as a hearty side dish or make yourself a big bowlful and enjoy some winter comfort food
Peel a parsnip and finely slice it (or use a mandolin, which is so much easier), then slice two medium carrots, two medium potatoes and the remaining brussels sprouts (about a large handful) – there is no need to peel the potatoes or carrots. Layer into an ovenproof dish. Crush two garlic cloves and put them in a jug with 200ml of cream, a good splash of milk, salt and pepper and stir. Pour over the vegetables, pressing it all down so that the liquid almost reaches the top layer. Bake in the oven at 170C for 40 minutes, with foil covering it for the first 20 mins of cooking. Feel free to grate some cheese over for the last five minutes, it is Christmas after all.
NOTE: This makes a large dish, so either tuck in, invite a friend or two over or make the most of the leftovers for lunch, a side, or dinner another day. As long as there’s a potato in there, you can substitute any of the veg for similar: swede, celeriac, sweet potato, leeks are all good.
Thursday – Creamy smoked salmon pesto pasta, 15 mins
Boil the pasta according to packet instructions (about 9 mins for spaghetti). While it’s boiling, put a bunch of basil and the remaining dill and parsley in a blender with a small clove of garlic, pinch of salt and a handful of flaked almonds and blend until chopped (I used my Nutribullet). Now add a tablespoon of olive oil, the juice of a lemon and the rest of the cream and blend again until smooth. Stir in to the cooked pasta and add ribbons of smoked salmon.
Friday – Brie and cranberry puffs, 25 mins
At this time of year we all have cheese and cranberry sauce in the fridge; make yourself a no-fuss festive dinner with these quick puff pastry bakes. You could also add cooked bacon lardons or ham if you liked.
Lay the readymade puff pastry out flat and divide into six with a pizza cutter. Dollop a tablespoon of cranberry sauce in the centre of each square, then scatter over the cheese, cubed. Fold the edges of the pastry in on themselves and then fold each corner in. This is not an exact science and they don’t need to look too pretty – it’s just to stop the cheese from escaping. Bake at 190C for 15 minutes until risen and golden brown. Serve with a simply dressed salad.
NOTE: This makes six, so you’ll probably have two left over if you’re only feeding two of you. But, these freeze well, they will keep in the fridge for three days, or can be made miniature instead of into six and served up for a drinks party snack.