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What types of canapes can I whip up for New Year’s Eve using my Christmas leftovers that will still impress guests?

Finger food needn't be fancy, so New Year's offers a great chance to clear the decks. The main guideline is to stick to items to just one bite—guests don't want to handle a fork. Guests just want a comforting taste of comfort food with a decadent twist.

If you have a bit of smoked salmon left, place it on blinis and top it with lumpfish caviar. Small patties are also just the ticket: Whether you've got remaining fish or flaked salmon, fold it through mashed potato, combine with dill, citrus, and caramelized onions, then coat in Japanese breadcrumbs and fry until golden.

You could also get creative with Spanish croquettes. Prepare the white sauce up to days ahead, then use remaining pork, poultry, or foraged fungi for the filling. Blitz stale bread into breadcrumbs to cover them, then fry. Sausage roll mixtures are another perfect use for those crumbs, or use them as a jacket for bite-sized chicken. For flavour, all you need a bit of citrus zest and thyme, and they'll taste so much more. Incidentally, buttery pastries make excellent coatings, too.

One favourite thing at this time of year is a post-holiday sandwich, and that doesn't have to stop after Boxing Day. Place some ham and turkey in an sealed tub and freeze. While you're at it, reserve some berry relish and honey ham glaze in the refrigerator. When needed, defrost the meat, then pop it in a preheated oven with the saved glaze for a brief period. Let it cool and slice thinly, then lay on top of some sourdough and assemble mini sandwiches with lots of cranberry sauce. Cut into bite-sized pieces for a winner.

Remaining poultry, meanwhile, could be transformed into a zingy salad. You often have a bit of turkey leg left over, and it's ideal for something punchy. Pull the meat, then fry it slowly in a pan, and toss with remaining sauce thinned with lime juice, a spoonful of soy sauce and a little chilli oil. Finish with chopped herbs and some green onions, and serve in little gem leaves.

Transforming Leftover Vegetables

Veg, meanwhile, can be dressed up and ready to party with a big batch of fried potato cake. Mix all your remaining vegetables with fresh herbs, then season and add a binding agent. Stamp out portions to about the size of blinis, then store in the icebox. Reheat in a preheated oven for a short time and top with your choice of topping—perhaps roast beef and sharp horseradish. A good tip, though: save a stash for brunch the next day.