Christmas leftovers recipes: Northland chefs’ best tips and tricks

Aaron Stott has big plans for this year’s Christmas meal – and the leftovers.

Stott, the head chef at the Old Packhouse Cafe in Kerikeri, tends to have Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve, so he and his whānau can spend the next day at the beach.

Stott is cooking for 12 family and friends this year, including three of his four children and his parents from Wellington.

They’re in for a treat.

He’s doing a ham glazed with honey mustard, smoked on the barbecue for eight hours, along with turkey breast stuffed and rolled with bread stuffing, apricots and pistachios, topped with cranberry sauce.

There will also be a German-style potato salad, a leg of lamb or scotch fillet, and a trifle made by his wife Katy.

Kerikeri-based chef Aaron Stott is planning a feast for his family this Christmas. Photo / Jenny Ling

The vegetables will include fried cauliflower, and a couscous salad with broad beans and asparagus.

“The next day, it’s all of that, cold,” Stott said.

“We’ll probably have it on sandwiches, and will take everything to the beach and set up a table, and everyone can graze.

“It takes a week to get through the ham, so there’s plenty of that.

“And I’ll make fresh bread.”

Stott, who has worked in top restaurants in London and Russia, will also make a bubble and squeak with the leftovers.

“I’ll chop up and fry onion and all the leftover bits of meat together, and boiled potatoes, and whatever vegetables are left.

“It all goes into a cast-iron skillet and is fried until caramelised and crispy.

“We’ll have that on toast with a fried egg on top and plum sauce.”

For Stott, having the Christmas meal a day early means he can relax with the family.

“For the kids, it’s all about presents and the tree and getting up early in the morning.

“For me, it’s about sharing a table with the family.

“It gives us the opportunity to be together … and be grateful for everything.”

Aqua Restaurant head chef Craig Estick

Aqua Restaurant head chef Craig Estick aims to keep things simple for the festive season.

A few years ago, Aqua Restaurant head chef Craig Estick and his wife, Suzy, made two decisions to reduce Christmas stress.

The first was to have an open-door policy at their Waipu home, so their three adult children and their partners could come and go as they pleased.

The other was to keep it simple.

The Esticks opt for traditional meats, including ham and lamb, barbecues, and simple salads.

“If we have people stay over Christmas Eve, we’ll do a breakfast and a late lunch.

“We keep it light and easy.

“A lot of enjoyment goes out of it if you overcomplicate it.”

Estick is practical and tries to minimise leftovers to avoid food waste, especially as the kids often head off on Boxing Day.

“There’s so much food wastage because people over-cater.

“You’ve got to be a bit clever about it and have things that can be utilised the next day.”

Estick keeps the ham in a ham bag for a few days, and uses it in pastas, sandwiches or for breakfast, then cuts the rest up and freezes it.

His favourite recipe for leftover lamb is his North African-inspired grilled lamb rump with grilled asparagus, dressed with dukkah or harissa, and sprinkled with pomegranate and feta.

“If I’m cooking at home, I go a little bit into chef mode, and get a bit annoyed if my customers – i.e. my family – don’t sit around to appreciate the food I just cooked.

“I’ve learned over the years to chill. It’s [the food] important, but it’s not why we’re all there. It’s a family gathering.”

Marcus Berndt from Terra Restaurant

Terra Restaurant owners, chefs Sarah Conner and Marcus Berndt, have plenty of ideas for leftover food on Christmas day.

Chef Marcus Berndt likes to put a unique twist on traditional Christmas meals.

This year is no exception for Berndt, who owns Terra Restaurant in Paihia with his wife, Sarah Connor, also a trained chef.

The couple are closing their Cuisine one-hatted restaurant for a couple of days to spend time with their two daughters, aged 7 and 11, and other family.

The German-born chef usually cooks a whole fish on the barbecue or in the oven, along with boiled or roasted potatoes and the usual salads.

This year, they’re having Christmas at their place in Paihia.

“We’ll have a nice breakfast, then go into a late lunch.

“We usually turn the leftover fish into a fish pie.”

Berndt has plenty of other ideas for the food left over from big family gatherings.

He puts a pizza station together, dices up all the “off-cuts” – fish, ham, salad and vegetables – and puts it into separate bowls.

Then people can make their own pizzas with the toppings, which are fed into the woodfire oven.

“Everyone can help themselves the next day.”

Berndt’s other suggestions are turning ham and turkey into savoury muffins for a road trip or a day at the beach.

He’ll transform roast vegetables into little tarte tatins with a marmalade glaze and feta or goat cheese on top.

Leftover meats can also be used in quesadillas, a traditional Mexican dish, or croque madames, a French ham-and-cheese toasted sandwich, with bechamel sauce and a fried egg.

While food is “always important”, spending quality time relaxing with family is a priority.

“I’d rather concentrate on downtime than be in the kitchen.”

How to reduce Christmas food waste

Shop smart: Make lists, estimate portions, and avoid impulse festive deals.Plan for post-Christmas: Freeze extra portions and plan meals for the days after. Get creative with leftovers: Transform ham and turkey into new meals like fried rice, pies, frittatas, or soups. Support local efforts: Donate excess food to charities like Whakaora Kai a Northland food rescue charity that shares food destined for landfill with community organisations across Tai Tokerau.

Jenny Ling is a senior journalist at the Northern Advocate. She has a special interest in covering human interest stories, along with food, finance, and social issues.