Whenever I have guests over, I worry I’ll fall short of food and end up cooking too much, which isn’t a problem because we make use of the leftovers the following day.
At Christmas, this frustration is even greater, for reasons including the possibility that we might dine out that day, or simply prefer to opt for something lighter to offset the excesses of the festive season. Moreover, knowing the exact quantities also translates into substantial savings, which adds up.
That was precisely the question posed by one of the listeners to chef Martín Berasategui’s kitchen clinic on the programme Hoy por Hoy. The question asked whether it would be possible to calculate a menu based on the bites being served, since, like me, the listener always cooked too much by not gauging the quantities correctly. Do you want to know what his answer was?
The trick to getting the portion sizes right
The Basque chef was very clear in his answer and explained that he wouldn’t calculate portions by bites since not everyone eats the same. Instead, he shared a few basic kitchen rules to get it right. For example, when it comes to poultry, meat or fish, a portion of about 150 grams per person should suffice. Were you aware of this guideline?
In the case of serving pasta or rice as the main, you would need 80 g per person, whereas if it is a pasta dish the amount would be 100 g. All of this does not include the sauces or side dishes that would accompany the core ingredient you plan to cook. The chef shares the view that it’s better to have too much than too little, since leftovers can be put to use in other dishes.
How to make the most of Christmas leftovers
Even when planning quantities, there are times when there is leftover food, and one reason is that we fill up on Christmas starters. How to avoid it? Set out some light pre-dinner nibbles to whet the appetite, but don’t go overboard. On the other hand, if you’d like a plentiful spread, skip the first course and cook a second course based on meat or fish.
Some handy ideas include tasty croquettes made from leftover meat, empanadas filled with leftover smoked salmon, vegetable fritters that we’ve used as garnish, a Russian-style potato salad with cooked prawns, or a rich rice dish or seafood broth using the water used to cook the mussels. You’re sure to think of many more.
And if what’s left is something sweet? It’s just as easy, and you’ll soon be itching to put these tricks into practice. If you have leftover nougat you can make a mousse, a semifreddo or even stir a little into coffee to sweeten it. Alternatively, to use up the chocolate leftovers you can make a fondue, blend a chocolate smoothie, bake chocolate biscuits, or turn it into chips or shavings to garnish your breakfasts and snacks.
