Rehash your Mash: 5 Genius Ways To Upgrade Leftover Christmas Mash
Words: Shamim de Brún
Artwork: Paul Smith
Whether it is because we are suckers for gluttony or because we are incapable of calculating how much we will need to feed our family and friends, leftovers happen at Christmas. Like pasta, most people never get the portions right. Or maybe leftovers are part of the fun?
Until fridges became standard at the turn of the 20th century, “leftovers” didn’t exist. In Ireland, a fridge only became a household staple in the 60s. Without fridges, if you wanted to keep any of the residual food from a meal you’d have to pickle it, or take the risk. With the ability to reliably keep things cool, the notion of the leftover was born. And for that, we give thanks to the deity of your choice.
From food prepping to meal planning, these days leftovers are a crucial part of how we eat. At Christmas, everyone is always talking about the ultimate leftover sandwich. The thing is we all know how to make a sandwich, and they rarely include potatoes. So what do you do with the humble spuds you just couldn’t get through? Diversify. Potatoes are a malleable core ingredient that can be turned out like a greatest hits album.
Here are 5 ways to rehash your mash easily. Just remember that leftover potatoes only have 3 days in them if you don’t freeze them.
CBD infusion
Potato cakes are an excellent, efficient, and tasty way to reuse your leftover mash. They’re an integral component of any balanced yule tide diet. Deep-fried and crisped to golden perfection. They can be a whole meal themselves or an addendum to whatever you like. Personally, I add a little carrot into the mix for natural sweetness.
Fuse CBD with creamy Irish butter and you hit the next level like you’ve just defeated Bauser.
Full recipe here
Potato cheese dip
If you only have a few schpuds left, or you were unlucky enough to have some overcooked watery mash lying around then this is the recipe for you. Turning potatoes into a dip sounds unconventional but it works and could be a great way to try out that shiny new-tri bullet you got from Santa.
Full recipe here
Breakfast Hash
Breakfast hash is a truly revolutionary way to get into cubism. Cut up those leftover roasties and have at a hearty breakfast of spectacular champions. The art to a hash is to chuck it all in a pan with some decent seasoning and top off with well-cooked eggs. It makes for the perfect Stevens’ Day hangover breakfast.
Full and more accurate recipe here
Pie top crust
Beauty is in the eye of the leftover pie holder. People can think that a pie needs pastry but if you have leftover mash you can make a shepherds pie style crust. Leftover turkey and a new leek make this recipe fresh. It’s also a great one for portioning out and freezing.
Full recipe here
Baked potato skins with brie and truffle honey
This one is a left-field suggestion even if it is pretty self-explanatory. It only really works if you had an undefeatable cheese board. Basically, you get to use the leftovers from the extravagant cheeseboard that you undoubtedly wouldn’t get round to before they stunk out the fridge and dress your leftover potatoes up in them and bake. Easy but tasty, all the good ones are.
Full recipe here
Also on Char: Top Tipples – Buying wine at Christmas
