What to do with leftover roast ...

If you have leftover roast meat or poultry either fridged or in the freezer, how about a curry pie? A lump of leftover roast beef is perfect. As a guide 400g to serve four.

Here's another thought – when you're choosing veggies for your roast and creating extras to use during the week add a couple of medium size onions, peeled and quartered in the roasting pan. You won't be sorry – roasted onions are sweet and delicious.

Whether it's leftover roast beef or chicken (sliced or diced) or a veggie version they are all perfect submerged in a curry sauce.

You do have to decide what sort of top you'd like – sliced cooked baked potato or a wholemeal shortcrust or a flaky puff pastry.

We've explored the fast flaky recently – it would get my vote but any of the other variations are just as good.

If you use the sliced cooked baked potato route, spread the top layer in a bombay aloo spice mix for extra punch.

1 medium onion, finely diced

1 tbsp rapeseed oil

1 tsp caster sugar

1 tsp ginger paste or 1” fresh, grated.

2 cloves of roasted garlic or 2 cloves of fresh, crushed

1 tsp each of ground cumin, coriander, garam masala and curry powder. Use a curry powder that best suits your palate and how much heat you like – mild, medium or hot

1 tsp salt or to taste

Using a medium frying pan, fry the onions in the oil until soft – 3-4 minutes. Add the ginger, garlic, spices and salt. Fry so that the spices are released - 3-4 minutes. Spread over the top layer of the sliced, cooked, baked potatoes before heating. You can make this “spread” ahead, box (tightly) and fridge.

If you do prefer pastry …

The old ones are the best!

Here are two more variations on the theme of Bubble and Squeak – they are all “much of a muchness” as we say – they are all delicious, made from leftovers or, as I prefer to say, “deliberates”.

Pea and Spring Onion Champ

1.5kg Potatoes, scrubbed

100g butter

500ml/18 fl oz milk (or if a richer consistency

75% milk to 25% double cream)

450g frozen peas

75g spring onions, chopped

4 tbsp chopped parsley

salt and black pepper

Cook the potatoes in salted water until tender, drain, peel and mash. You could use a ricer for absolute “lump free”. Add half the butter – 50g, after mashing or ricing. Place the milk/cream in a pan with the peas and onions and boil, gently, for 4/5 minutes. Add the parsley, take off the heat.

Add the potatoes, keep some of the milk back – you may not need it all. Season to taste and beat until creamy and smooth – add more milk if required.

Serve piping hot with a knob of butter melting in the centre.

P.s. If you wish you could add grated mature cheddar cheese.

Colcannon

Savoy cabbage, finely shredded – half a cabbage

approximately 350g in weight

30g butter

Bunch of spring onions finely chopped

1.5kg Maris piper potatoes,

Salt and black pepper

There are no exact weights here – you may have leftover mashed potatoes and cabbage – it really doesn't matter.

If you've not got leftovers, cook the potatoes in salted water until tender, drain, peel and mash. You could use a ricer for guaranteed lump free.

Put the cabbage in a pan with the butter and cook over a low heat for 2-3 minutes until tender, stirring frequently.

Add the spring onions and cook for another minute or two. Mix with the mashed potato and season well.

If you've cooked your potatoes ahead or are using leftovers, pop the completed dish into a pre-heated oven 180fan/200c/Gas6 for 20 minutes. You could use oven-proof ramekins and serve straight to the table.

Coming up – more fast food ideas for your working week and it's time to get organised and plan!

The squeak photos

the bubble and squeak in the pan

the pan measures 29cms/11½”

the chorizo in the smaller pan – before

and after the pan measures 23cms/9”

the larger “Jackson Pollock” version

the smaller “posh” version – use a ring

8.5cms/3¼” in diameter x 3cms/1¼” deep – first layer is the

Squeak, packed firmly into the ring

next layer is the chorizo, again packed

tightly – see the oil oozing through the Squeak,

remove the ring

with the crowning glory, the poached egg

You don't have to use chorizo – stir fry another layer of your favourite mixed veggies (finely diced) instead. You could sprinkle a layer of grated cheese over the Squeak as it goes into the oven and melts before topping with the poached egg.

The old ones are the best …

Bubble and Squeak (Squeak)

This is a “fly by the seat of your pants”/”live dangerously” recipe! Normally I wouldn't give a recipe, it depends on what you've got leftover, how many mouths you are feeding and how big are their appetites!

Squeak

Serves 2

250g (ish) cooked potatoes, sliced or cubed

125g cooked sprouts, finely sliced

1 medium onion, finely diced

Salt and black pepper

20g unsalted butter & glug of rapeseed oil

125g of diced chorizo

1 egg per person

Glug of malt vinegar

Water for poaching eggs

You'll need one large frying pan for the Squeak

- preferably one that can be transferred to the oven

One small frying pan for the chorizo

One small saucepan, with water and a glug of

malt vinegar

Melt the oil and butter in a large frying pan, add the diced onion and sauté on a medium heat for 2/3 minutes. Add the potato and mix together, sauté for a further 2/3 minutes fold in the sprouts and cook for a further 2/3 minutes. Transfer the Squeak to a pre-heated oven 180fan/200c/Gas 6.

Heat the small frying pan then add the chorizo and fry on a medium heat.

Bring the water to the boil, add the vinegar and turn down to simmer, ready for the poached eggs.

As soon as the chorizo begins to crisp immerse the eggs bring to the boil and set your timer for three minutes – long enough to heat your serving bowls!

You can serve this dish as large or as small as you like – Jackson Pollock style or posh – photos up next …