Some delicious and inspired holiday leftover ideas from three top chefs...

Martin Kroon, head chef at Butlers Wharf Chop House:

“Using up leftovers and recreating dishes is a specialty of mine,” explains Martin. “Since becoming a father, I have drastically changed the way I cook at home. Planning ahead and saving time, without compromising quality, is a nice home challenge.”

The three essentials

When it comes to transforming leftovers, Martin believes there are three essentials. These are eggs, tomato sauce and a blender. “With these three you can serve up some very tasty and interesting dishes while barely getting off the sofa.

“As always, I have to bang on about how important it is to buy good quality stuff, so please, for everyone’s sake (from producer to consumer), buy from a farmers’ market or organic/free range where possible.”

Tomato sauce:

“Anything can go in a smashing tomato sauce (sugo di pomodoro); turkey, ham, smoked salmon, you could even toss some roast potatoes in it. Spice them up with a pinch of paprika and chilli for some patatas bravas. Lovely. Or you could make pasta with tomato sauce. I buy 8-12 cans of plum tomatoes to make a big pot of beautiful tomato sauce with garlic and then freeze it in smaller batches.”

Eggs:

Roast vegetable tortilla for two:

“Chop yesterday’s vegetables into bite size pieces and add to a pan sizzling with olive oil. While they fry on a medium heat, crack five eggs in a bowl and mix with salt, pepper, a dash of cream, milk or yogurt and chopped herbs.

“Add this mixture to the vegetables in your pan and shake for a few seconds, making sure the egg mixture is evenly spread. Cook for two minutes on a medium heat, then place a large plate on top of the pan, turn the tortilla upside down and slide it back into the pan with the uncooked side face down. Once cooked, take it off the heat and choose your topping… cheddar or ham, for example.”

Blender:

“This is the ultimate soup maker and fresh fruit juicer. Put yesterday’s roasted vegetables and the pickings of a chicken or turkey carcass into a pot. Cover well with water and add a chicken stock cube for every four people eating. Bring to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes, then put in the blender and blitz until smooth.”

Robin Gill, head chef at Sauterelle

A light, tasty salad

Uncooked and unloved Brussels sprouts lurking in your cupboard? Try making Robin’s light and delicious salad, which uses up leftover meat such as roast goose, raw Brussels sprouts, toasted chestnuts, balsamic vinegar and aged parmesan…

“You slice both the goose and the Brussels sprouts thinly and place them in a mixing bowl with some toasted chestnuts, a pinch of sea salt, a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar and freshly grated parmesan,” says Robin. “You get a nice crunch and bitterness from the sprouts, which adds freshness to the salad.”

Roast celeriac…perfect for rostis to serve with cold cuts and mustard

“I always do roast celeriac and lots of it over the Christmas period. With the leftovers I make celeriac rostis, which I serve with leftover smoked ham, mustard, fresh watercress and maybe a little leftover beetroot. You could do the same with your leftover smoked salmon, but use horseradish instead of the mustard.”

Store cupboard essentials to transform your leftovers

“Things to rely on on would be your dry stores, mostly mustards, big musts are goose fat, cabernet sauvignon vinegar, aged balsamic vinegar, fresh horseradish, capers, extra virgin olive oil and nice chutneys. On the fresh side, stock up on lemons, watercress and beetroot.”

Balaji Balachander, head chef, Carom at Meza

Khati Roll

Turn any leftover roast chicken or turkey into a spiced wrap, using head chef Bala’s recipe, below:

“Sauté sliced red onions and peppers. Blend some mixed vegetable pickle (for example Patak’s) in a blender and add a spoonful, according to how much spice you like. Add the sliced roasted meat and sauté until hot, checking the seasoning.

“Make up your wrap using a chapatti or naan, which you fill with shredded spring onion and lettuce. Add your hot mix and drizzle over mint chutney, which you make by blending mint and coriander in a ratio of 1:2, then add lemon juice, green chilli, Greek yoghurt, chaat masala and salt. Wrap up and serve.”