The many uses for leftover sauce, from breakfast to soup and sauce | Chefs

Every Christmas I get given sauce, and I still have four jars that I barely use. What do you do with them before the next batch arrives?
Christine, Oxford
This sounds like a job for Claire Denhout, author of the book Spices bookwhich also has the title Condiment Claire. This meal was eaten as one meal, starting with breakfast. “It may not seem very obvious, but I put Branston pickles on avocado toast. If you think about it, it’s often adding acidity, which is usually lemon, but the sauce is strong and has the same taste, plus a little more texture,” she says. Aside from the jars Kristin stocks, Daenhout is also thinking about breakfast: “Whether it’s spicy mango, peaches, hot peppers or tomato sauce, it will be so delicious with egg yolks.”

Roger Pizzi, CEO of Fortnum & Mason’s pastry division, is no stranger to Christine’s sauce dilemma: “Sometimes we have so much leftover that I’m frantic to know what to do with it.” Often, the best solution is the simplest, which is why Pizzi often spoons a good spoonful of, say, fig and fennel sauce onto a sticky, golden toast. “You can have a lot of sauce is there with a few generous layers of Ogleshield [a raclette-style cheese]which takes the tart, acidic flavor of the sauce really well.

Of course, the sauce also plays very well on other sandwiches and wraps (ham, turkey, coronation chicken), or use it as a glaze or marinade for meats. “It’s already balanced, so you don’t necessarily need to add anything else,” says Daenhout. “If you’re putting chicken breasts in the air fryer, for example, drizzle with mango sauce.” [peach also works well] All over the meat, which will give it a really nice coating. Cyrus Todiwala, author Modern Indian: Small plates, big flavours, great feastsMeanwhile, he puts the mango sauce in a blender and purees it: “This is the perfect coating for brushing chicken, turkey or pork before roasting.”

The soup is hot right now, so if you’re having a bowl of squash or pumpkin soup, you could do a lot worse than slathering a piece of baguette with sour cream and sauce and using it for dipping, says Daenhout. She also has a way of adding sauce (such as apple or tomato) to salad dressing instead of honey: “It adds a little texture, vinegar and sweetness, and is especially good in a rice or barley salad with roasted sweet potatoes, dried cranberries and goat cheese.”

But remember to keep things clean. “I get a burning sensation when people take a spoon and scrape it around the sides of the jar,” Todiwala says. “This is where the fungus will start to grow, so keep the lid and edges of the jar clean by wiping them with a dry cloth or some kitchen paper after use.” That way, no jar is ever left behind: “When you’re done using the jar, use up the last few bits of sauce by cracking a few eggs, closing the jar and shaking it well. Then use the contents to make scrambled eggs,” says Daenhout. You will be happy to eat breakfast, lunch or dinner.