Chef Selwyn’s Recipes: Here’s What You Can Do With Christmas Leftovers

 

With the size of the average Christmas meal, leftovers are to be expected. Don’t let them go to waste. Here are some ideas for what to do with them.

• Make soup. Leftover ham, turkey, pork and beef can all be used to make delicious soups. Look up some recipes, or just cut them up and put them in the slow cooker with some leftover veggies and broth. The possibilities are endless.

• Use them on sandwiches. Among the easiest post-Christmas meals is the ham or turkey sandwich. Just cut off a slice, put it on some bread, add a piece of cheese and you have an effortless lunch. You don’t mind expending a little energy, ham salad and turkey salad are easy ways to change it up.

• Reinvent leftover potatoes. Plain baked, mashed or boiled potatoes can easily be transformed into a whole new dish. Add baked or boiled potatoes to soups or use them to make potato salad. Use mashed potatoes to make potato pancakes or add them to casseroles.

• Vegetables go far. Incorporate leftover vegetables intonew meals. From salads to omelets and all the way to shepherd’s pie, there are plenty of things to do with your leftover vegetable side dishes.

• Wrap it up. Tortillas and leftovers go wonderfully together. Just chop up any leftover meat, add lettuce, tomato, cheese and mayonnaise or dressing, and you have a refreshing light lunch. You can also try making burritos or quesadillas out of leftovers.

• Freeze them. To prevent food poisoning, leftovers should be refrigerated promptly and used within 3 to 4 days. If you won’t use your leftovers in that amount of time, freeze them for later use. Place them in freezer containers or plastic bags, label them with the contents and date, and freeze them as soon as possible. If you have specific plans for them, you can go ahead and chop them up or separate them into portions to save time later on.

  With the right planning, your Christmas meal could actually help feed your family for several days after the big day…and you don’t even have to eat the same thing every day to do it.

Perfect Turkey

Prep Time: 30 Min  Cook Time: 4 Hrs  Ready In: 17 Hrs

Ingredients 

1 (18 pound) whole turkey, neck and giblets removed

2 cups kosher salt

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 large onions, peeled and chopped

4 carrots, peeled and chopped

4 stalks celery, chopped

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 bay leaf

1 cup dry white wine     

Method 

1. Rub the turkey inside and out with the kosher salt. Place the bird in a large stock pot, and cover with cold water. Place in the refrigerator, and allow the turkey to soak in the salt and water mixture 12 hours, or overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Thoroughly rinse the turkey, and discard the brine mixture.

3. Brush the turkey with 1/2 the melted butter. Place breast side up on a roasting rack in a shallow roasting pan. Stuff the turkey cavity with 1 onion, 1/2 the carrots, 1/2 the celery, 1 sprig of thyme, and the bay leaf. Scatter the remaining vegetables and thyme around the bottom of the roasting pan, and cover with the white wine.

4. Roast uncovered 3 1/2 to 4 hours in the preheated oven, until the internal temperature of the thigh reaches 180 degrees F (85 degrees C). About 2/3 through the roasting time, brush with the remaining butter. Allow the bird to stand about 30 minutes before carving.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

The Christmas season is one of the happiest times of the year.  As I reflect upon the past year I have so much to be grateful for. My God has been awesome and I promise to continue following His lead.  My birthday gift was the publishing of “The Art Of Cooking, Soul Of The Caribbean”.  The pleasure I experienced was almost like being there for the births of my kids.  Being part of the creative process was in itself phenomenal.

To all the amazing people in my life whose shoulders I continue to stand on I say My Heartfelt Thank You! There is no “I” in team – you allow me to shine because you believe in the vision and together we look toward 2015 – pushing boundaries, evolving new strategies, imagining the possibilities and creating them.

“Every good gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no change.” James 1:17

We thank you for all your love and support.  From our families to yours, we wish you a very safe, healthy and prosperous holiday season and best wishes for a Happy New Year!

Stay Blessed,

Chef Selwyn
President & Executive Chef 
The Art of Catering Inc.