As far as quick fixes for leftovers go, this one is up there with the sandwich and the student pasta supper. For flavour though it is superior to both. You can pretty much sling whatever you have left in the fridge from Christmas lunch (though I wouldn’t recommend potatoes) and go from there. This is just what we happened to have left last night and really was completely delicious, munched with the remaining creamed corn (recipe below), salad and chutney (or cranberry sauce).

Serves plenty

A bowl of leftover turkey

A bowl of leftover stuffing (which contained breadcrumbs – otherwise add breadcrumbs to the mix)

Sausage meat

2 chillies

2 eggs

Flour

A beaten egg

Breadcrumbs

Oil for frying

Sling the turkey, stuffing, sausage meat, chillies and 2 eggs into a food processor. Season and blend until fully mixed (but not too pasty). Form into balls.

Put the flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs into three separate bowls. Season the flour with salt, pepper and cayenne, and roll the balls in the flour (shaking off any excess), then the egg, then the breadcrumbs. It’s a right messy job but completely worth it.

Now pour 4 inches of oil into a large saucepan and place over a medium-high heat. After 10 minutes check that it’s hot enough by dropping in a little bread. It should sizzle immediately. Fry the rissoles, a few at a time for 3 minutes on each side, then remove and drain on kitchen towel and keep warm.

Scalloped corn

This recipe came from my American grandma, and we have eaten it for Christmas every year for as long as I can remember. It is an indulgent delight. Would be delicious with ham or chicken too. Or even on its own as a TV supper.

1 can sweetcorn

1/2 cup of milk

2 tablespoons flour

2 eggs (slightly beaten)

salt and pepper

1 cup shredded cheddar

1/4 cup melted butter

At this point it gets a little more vague, so this is how Mum does it:

Make a roux with the butter and flour then slowly add the milk to make a white sauce. Mix this with the other ingredients (keeping back a little of the ‘shredded’ cheddar) and tip into a baking dish. Mum often adds a little cayenne pepper too. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and bake at 170C for an hour until set.