DO you dread using up Christmas leftovers?

Fear not – in the final part of our brilliant festive food specials we bring you the best recipes to liven up your leftovers.

Top chef John Torode and his wife, actress and former MasterChef winner Lisa Faulkner, have teamed up to bring you delicious recipes to keep you going until New Year.

John says: “We’ve always used leftovers in our house, and I love dipping pigs in blankets in bread sauce for a snack.”

Lisa adds: “My Christmas stuffing linguine is comfort food at its finest. Merry Twixmas, one and all!”

Potted ham rillettes with soda bread

(Serves 6)

Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus 30 minutes chilling.

Cooking time: 40 minutes.

You need:

  • 250g cooked shredded gammon or ham hocks
  • 300g unsalted butter
  • 2 pinches freshly grated nutmeg
  • 2-3 pinches ground mace
  • 3 pinches cayenne pepper
  • 3 stalks thyme (just the leaves)

For the soda bread:

  • 170g plain flour
  • 170g self-raising wholemeal flour
  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ pint natural yoghurt

Method:

  • Divide the shredded ham between six ramekins.
  • In a small saucepan, slowly melt the butter with the spices and thyme. Pour the mixture evenly into the ramekins until the ham is just covered but still poking out. Cover and chill until set.
  • You can serve with shop-bought soda bread or sourdough, but to make your own soda bread, preheat the oven to 200C/gas 6.
  • Mix together the flours, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Make a well in the centre of the flour, add the yoghurt and mix together.
  • Turn the dough out on to a floured surface and knead. Form into a round, cut a cross in the centre and place on a floured baking tray.
  • Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes.
  • You will know it’s ready when you tap the bottom of the bread and it sounds hollow.
  • Remove the ham rillettes from the fridge 20 minutes before serving and serve with the soda bread.

    • John's cheeseboard stuffed mushrooms

    (Makes 4)

    Preparation time: 10 minutes.

    Cooking time: 25 minutes.

    You need:

    • 4 large flat mushrooms
    • 20ml olive oil
    • 100g leftover cheese (a mixture of soft and hard works well)
    • Handful of fresh herbs (I like parsley, chives and a bit of sage)

    Method:

  • Preheat your oven to 220C/200C fan/gas mark 7. Line a baking tray with greaseproof baking paper (this is not essential but saves on the washing-up) and place the mushrooms on it, stalk side up. Remove and discard the stalks.
  • Sprinkle the mushrooms with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper.
  • Bake in the oven for 15 minutes until soft and bubbling.
  • Meanwhile, cut all the cheese into small pieces and mix in a bowl with the herbs.
  • When the mushrooms are cooked, top with the herby cheese and return to the oven for ten minutes or until the cheese is melting but not too runny.
  • Serve with buttered toast as a snack, or with a poached egg for brunch.

    • Lisa's Christmas stuffing linguine

    (Serves 4)

    Preparation time: 5 minutes.

    Cooking time: 20 minutes.

    You need:

    • 350g pork, sage and onion stuffing
    • 1 clove of garlic, sliced
    • 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
    • 100ml white wine
    • 400g tin chopped tomatoes, plus enough water to fill the tin
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • Parmesan, to serve
    • 280g dried linguine

    Method:

  • Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add the garlic and chilli flakes.
  • Mix in the stuffing, breaking it up with a wooden spoon and cook until just starting to turn golden.
  • Pour in the wine and let it bubble away. Add the tin of tomatoes and a tin of water then season with salt and pepper.
  • Let it bubble away for about 20 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, cook the pasta as per packet instructions, then drain, setting aside a little of the pasta water to loosen the sauce if needs be.
  • Tip the linguine into the sauce and mix until coated. Serve with a good shaving of Parmesan and a crack of black pepper.

    • Pigs in blankets hash

    (Serves 4)

    Preparation time: 10 minutes.

    Cooking time: 25 minutes.

    You need:

    • 20g butter
    • 15ml vegetable oil
    • 1 large onion, diced
    • 12 cooked pigs in blankets, halved
    • 2 handfuls cooked parsnips and other leftover veg, grated
    • Handful of potatoes (roast, boiled or baked), grated
    • 80g baby spinach
    • 4 eggs

    Method:

  • Place the butter and oil in a large frying pan, then add the onion when hot.
  • Cook until the onion has softened and season well.
  • Add the pigs in blankets and heat through. Now add the grated vegetables and potato into the pan and mix everything together well.
  • Pat the hash down using the back of a spoon or spatula so it looks like a pancake.
  • Continue to cook so the bottom is well coloured, then mix up the hash in the pan again and pat back down again, so it goes crispy all over but not burnt.
  • Place the spinach in the middle of the hash and fold the whole thing over like a giant omelette.
  • Mix well so the spinach wilts, then press it all back down flat again and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Turn it out on to a large plate and set aside. Take the hot pan and fry the eggs.
  • Serve a wedge of the hash topped with an egg and sauces, or mustard, on side.

    • Lisa's turkey quesadillas

    (Serves 4)

    Preparation time: 10 minutes.

    Cooking time: 10 minutes.

    You need:

    • 200g cooked, shredded turkey
    • 4 spring onions, finely sliced
    • 4tbsp pickled jalapenos, sliced
    • 60g sweetcorn, drained
    • Handful of coriander, chopped
    • 120g cheddar or mozzarella, grated
    • 4 tbsp creme fraiche
    • 6 flour tortillas
    • 1 tbsp oil

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    Method:

  • Mix the turkey, onions (reserving a little for garnish), jalapenos, corn, coriander (reserving a little for garnish), cheese, creme fraiche and salt and pepper together and spread the mixture evenly over half of each tortilla.
  • Fold over and press the tortilla closed.
  • Heat a frying pan and just brush a little bit of oil around the pan.
  • Cook the tortillas for a few minutes on each side until golden, the cheese is melting and the filling is heated through.
  • Cut the quesadillas into halves and serve with guacamole, plus a sprinkling of the remaining spring onion and coriander.
    • John Torode and Lisa Faulkner’s cosy home where they film their TV show - including the huge dining room that looks like a restaurant

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