Loving our leftovers #boxingday

A great tradition in our family is the quick turnaround of leftovers from Christmas Day into Boxing Day dinner with fresh, asian flavours.

This year we had our extended family visiting so as well as our usual Turkey and Prawn Pad Thai, I added Asian Pork Belly Salad and Fried Rice with ham to the menu to cater for 12 people.

It was a great menu to use up leftover turkey, prawns, various vegetables and herbs at our holiday rental house.

The fried rice with lots of Christmas ham, mushrooms, carrots and peas was perfect for our granddaughter who loved it as much as the adults! Easy to make and certainly helped fill up the family after a hard day relaxing!

As always so much fun to have a big gang to cook for!!

Fried Rice with leftover Xmas ham
2023 Turkey Pad Thai garnished with lots of fresh salad ingredients

2018 Turkey and Prawn pad Thai

This year’s version triple the original recipe ….absolute fave with the “hungry” hoards on a Boxing Day.

Here’s the link to the original recipe inspired by Nigella Lawson’s recipe in her Feast cookbook.

https://freespiritfood.net/2017/12/27/turkey-pad-thai/

Ham and Turkey Pizza

Still getting through the leftover ham and turkey and other bits and pieces in the house…so decided to go Italian with homemade garlic bread, a nectarine and baby spinach salad and a homemade, from scratch, ham and turkey pizza using ingredients from the fridge.

Prep time: 1 hour Cooking time: 20 minutes

Pizza base

Ingredients:

4 cups plain flour
7g yeast (1 sachet)
Pinch of caster sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
400ml warm water
60ml olive oil
Flour for dusting Board

Method:

Place yeast and pinch of caster sugar with half a cup of warm water in bowl and allow to develop until froth forms about 10 minutes

Place flour and salt in a large mixing bowl and make a well in the centre of the flour.

Add water to centre of well and then mix gently with your hands until well combined, then add olive oil and knead carefully to make a soft, elastic dough, making sure not to overwork.

Set aside covered with a cloth in a warm spot to allow to rise to almost double its size.

Knead dough back into a smooth round ball and divide in half. This quantity makes 2 good size bases but half the dough can be frozen for later use. (Just thaw for 24 hours in fridge before using)

Gently stretch and pat dough into pizza pan, working and spinning the dough carefully to stretch.

Your pizza base is ready for sauce and toppings.

Pizza sauce:

Ingredients
2 ripe tomatoes
1 onion
4 cloves garlic
2 tsps mixed Italian herbs such thyme, oregano and rosemary – I used a combination of fresh and dried herbs
2 red chillies finely chopped (optional)
1 tsp caster sugar
1 tspoon salt
1 tspoon black pepper
1 cup white wine
1 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
Bowl of boiling water

Method:

Place tomatoes in boiling water and leave for 10 minutes, then remove skin which will peel off easily.

Cut tomatoes into quarters removing seeds.

Chop tomatoes into a fine dice and set aside

Finely dice onion

Crush garlic in a mortar and pestle or using a garlic press

Heat oil in non-stick pan and then add onions.

Sauté onions until transparent, then add garlic and heat through until fragrant.

Add tomatoes, salt, sugar and herbs and then white wine and water and simmer for 20 minutes or until all the liquid has evaporated and tomatoes have softened into a thick sauce. You can also add 1-2 teaspoons of tomato paste or tomato sauce to the mix if you prefer a thicker sauce. Stir occasionally to ensure sauce is not sticking.

Set aside to cool before using on base.

Pizza topping: (use your favourite topping ingredients)

Ingredients

1 cup chopped ham
1/2 cup chopped turkey
3-4 hot pickled peppers chopped finely
2-3 artichokes in brine chopped into bite size pieces
6 anchovies (optional)
4 bocconcini balls or mozzarella
Parmesan cheese for shaving over
Basil leaves for garnish

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 230 degrees celcius

Spread pizza sauce evenly over base

Place toppings on base starting with ham and turkey, then other topping ingredients.

Tear bocconcini and/or sprinkle over mozzarella over the top. Sprinkle salt in bocconcini.

Place in oven for 15-20minutes until base is crispy and cooked through and cheese is melted.

Shave over Parmesan and sprinkle with basil leaves and serve.

Turkey Pad Thai

This dish has now become a traditional Boxing Day dinner for our family. It’s a great way to use up leftover turkey and the spiciness is an excellent antidote to the richness of other Christmas dishes. For an extra chilli hit, serve the Thai sauce nam prik on the side…chopped chilli in equal parts fish sauce and lime juice.

Prep time: 30 minutes. cooking time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:

1 packet pad Thai rice noodles
2 tspoons store bought Thai red chilli paste
10 large green prawns, peeled with tails intact
1.5 cups Leftover turkey meat
4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
1 cup bean sprouts
3 eggs lightly beaten
2 tablespooons vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped coriander
1 lemon juiced – about 3 tablespoons
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 limes cut into wedges
4 green spring onion stalks chopped in half
1/2 cup roughly crushed peanuts
1 tablespoon chilli flakes

Method:

1. Boil 2 litres water, then allow to cool to warm, then add rice noodles to soak for 10-15 minutes until they are tender but not soggy.

2. Do all your preparation: Peel and devein prawns, chop turkey meat into chunks, lightly beat eggs, slice garlic, chop shallots and coriander, roughly crush peanuts, juice lemon and cut lime into wedges.

3. Drain noodles and set aside.

4. Heat vegetable oil in wok or large frying pan, add garlic and stir-fry until turning golden, add chilli paste and cook until paste is fragrant.

5. Add prawns and turkey and stir fry for 1 minute, then add fish sauce, sugar and lemon juice and stir until sugar is dissolved.

6. Add noodles and gently stir fry to mix through ingredients and heat noodles.

7. Push noodles to one side then add eggs and gently scramble and then stir through noodles along with 1/2 the crushed peanuts, shallots and bean sprouts.

8. Place into large serving dish or individual bowls and sprinkle with coriander, remaining peanuts and chilli flakes. Serve with lime wedges and nam prik chilli sauce to the side.