A city chef has shared his top recipe for making good use of Christmas leftovers.
Chris Davey, chef at The Citizen on St Vincent Street, steers away from curry on Boxing Day for a delicious festive pie.
His Boxing Day Pie is sure to be a hit with the kids and only requires a few cupboard staples.
Chris said: "For many, the best part of the festive season is the Christmas Day meal itself but for me, it's bringing together the delicious leftovers to eat the following day.
"There are plenty of things you can do with what’s left: a turkey curry, bubble and squeak, or a festive sandwich.
"But for a hearty meal that keeps the festive spirit going, it has to be a Boxing Day pie. Nothing hits the mark quite like it."
Boxing Day Pie Recipe
To make a pie for four people, you will require about 800g of leftovers.
Chris said: "This can be stuffing, turkey, veg – but do bear in mind sprouts already cooked will go super mushy and melt into the mix, which is fine, but add in uncooked ones if you have them for texture.
"I’m also going to keep this easy – shop-bought, ready-rolled pastry will do the trick although we obviously make our own in the restaurant."
Ingredients
Filling:
800-900g leftovers
3 tablespoons cranberry sauce
60g butter
60g plain flour
200ml milk
200ml chicken stock
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp double cream
1 pack all-butter ready to roll puff pastry
1 egg yolk, mixed with a fork
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/ gas 6.
Get everything together: remove your pastry and leftovers from the fridge and get a pie dish ready – lightly grease it with a little oil, butter or goose fat if you have.
Start by making a white sauce. Heat the milk and stock in a pan.
In a separate pan, melt the butter and when it starts bubbling whisk in the flour.
Cook for 30 seconds, stirring, then gradually whisk in the milk and stock, a little at a time.
When all the milk and stock have been added, bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, add the cream and cook for 10 minutes, whisking regularly to prevent it catching on the bottom of the pan as it thickens.
Remove from the heat, add both mustards, the Worcestershire sauce and season with sea salt.
Add in your leftovers and gently mix the sauce.
Mix through and allow the filling to heat through. Put the filling into the pie dish and spoon the cranberry sauce over the top.
Roll out the pastry to ½cm thick and a little bigger than the pie dish.
Use a selection of cutters to cut out shapes in the middle (or make initials or whatever you prefer), and set aside.
Carefully place the pastry left behind on top of the pie dish and brush with beaten egg, then place the reserved pastry shapes on top, filling any gaps.
Trim off any pastry, then roll out again and cut out more shapes, until all the gaps are filled.
Brush the top with beaten egg (a wee touch of cream mixed in makes a nice gloss), and press a fork around the edges to seal.
Bake at the bottom of the oven for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the filling is piping hot. Serve with mash and greens or peas.
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