As the festive dust settles on Christmas Day, West Australians are facing a familiar culinary challenge: a refrigerator packed to the brim with prawns, crayfish, turkey, and ham. The question of what to do with all those delicious remnants looms large on Boxing Day.
Chef Sean Cridland's Legendary Seafood Rolls
For Sean Cridland, head chef at Baldivis's White Horse Tavern, the day after Christmas is all about simplicity. Recognising the Australian love for festive seafood, he has perfected a no-fuss solution that has become a non-negotiable tradition in his own home.
"There's not a lot of cooking involved in these, they're simple," Cridland said. His method involves dicing leftover prawns and crayfish, mixing them through with flavourful staples from the fridge, and piling the mixture into a buttery, toasted brioche roll.
His signature combination includes Kewpie mayo for richness, lime zest, crunchy celery, and chives. "It's always been a winner," he confirmed, noting his family now deliberately saves seafood leftovers to ensure he makes the rolls.
Cridland also offered crucial advice for storing leftover seafood safely: keep it refrigerated and minimise air exposure by using tight cling wrap or freezer bags. A simple marinade of oil, salt, pepper, and garlic can also help maintain freshness.
Karmen Wong's Comforting Turkey & Ham Croquettes
At The Merrywell, head chef Karmen Wong champions a more hands-on approach to breathe new life into Boxing Day leftovers. Her solution? Deliciously crunchy turkey and ham croquettes, bound with a velvety bechamel sauce.
"Turkey is usually quite dry, especially leftover turkey, so the creaminess of the bechamel sort of uplifts and really hides the dryness," Wong explained. She believes the dish is perfect for Boxing Day and has become a cherished ritual she makes with her son.
Wong is convinced this could become a new tradition for many households. "I think this could be a new tradition … it's the perfect way to use those leftovers," she said. The recipe relies mostly on pantry staples like butter, flour, and milk, making it highly adaptable for any leftover meats or even seafood.
James Cole Bowen's Zero-Waste Prawn Shell Pasta
Gibney's head chef, James Cole Bowen, takes a resourceful and flavour-focused approach. He transforms the often-discarded prawn shells into a richly flavoured oil that forms the base of a spectacular spaghetti dish.
"I like cooking stuff with things people usually throw in the bin," Bowen said. "On Boxing Day, generally people have prawn shells lying around … you can cook this quickly with stuff lying around the house and you get a delicious meal."
For Bowen, this dish is about respecting the entire product and providing a welcome palate cleanser after days of heavy festive meats. "For days after Christmas you're eating the same turkey and hams… this pasta is good because you start to feel like something different," he noted. The best part? It's incredibly fast, taking roughly ten minutes to prepare with garlic, chilli, and any pasta on hand.
The Recipes: Step-by-Step
Sean Cridland's Buttered Prawn & Cray Rolls
Ingredients: 350g butter, 2 garlic cloves, 2 whole crays (500g each), 600g whole prawns, 400g Kewpie mayo, zest of 2 limes, 20g chives, 2 celery stalks, 8 brioche rolls.
Method: Dice the crayfish and prawns. Finely dice celery and chives and add to the seafood. Mix in lime zest and Kewpie mayo, then season. Melt butter in a pan, lightly toast the brioche rolls in it. Spoon the seafood mixture into the rolls.
Karmen Wong's Turkey & Ham Croquettes
Ingredients: 90g unsalted butter, 110g plain flour, 1 cup breadcrumbs, 1L warm whole milk, 120g chopped leftover turkey, 120g finely chopped leftover ham, 1 diced brown onion, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp smoked paprika, ¼ tsp nutmeg, salt & pepper.
Method: Cook onion and garlic in oil and butter until soft. Add flour and spices, cooking for 4 minutes. Gradually add warm milk to create a thick bechamel. Stir in turkey and ham. Spread mix in a tray, cover with cling wrap, and chill for 4+ hours. Shape, coat in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, then fry at 180°C for 2-3 minutes until golden.
James Cole Bowen's Prawn Shell Spaghetti
Ingredients: 150g prawn shells/heads, 500ml vegetable oil, 1 tsp tomato paste, 4 garlic cloves, 2 red chillies, olive oil, spaghetti, 1 lemon, parsley, salt.
Method: Simmer shells in vegetable oil with garlic and chilli. Add tomato paste, blend to a pulp, then strain the oil. Cook spaghetti, finishing the last 3 minutes in a pan with the infused prawn oil, sliced chilli, and garlic. Add pasta water to create a sauce. Finish with lemon zest, juice, parsley, and seasoning.
