Root Vegetable

We love hash browns for their delicious contradiction—the way the outer crunch of skillet–fried potatoes gives way to an inner creaminess. Throw in some nuggets of spicy Spanish chorizo (left over from Corn–Bread and Chorizo Stuffing ) and things only get better.

A take on the Provençal tart known as pissaladiére, this galette can be served as an hors d'oeuvre or, with a salad, as a light lunch. It gets fullness of flavor from a tangle of sweet caramelized onions that tops a smear of tomato paste enlivened with garlic and anchovies (left over from Mediterranean Eggplant Relish). A flaky homemade pastry crust ups the richness even more.

Get the irresistible flavor of samosas without all the frying. Phyllo (left over from Roasted Winter Vegetable Baklava ) makes an ingenious wrapper for our take on the popular Indian snacks, although the filling of garam–masala–spiced potatoes and peas is quite traditional. They bake up light and crisp, ready for a dip in chutney or raita. Serve these samosas with a salad for a vegetarian main course, or make smaller ones as appetizers.

With the coconut milk left over from our Sweet–Potato Coconut Purée , try this very modern spin on steamed mussels. Fennel and tomatoes are common pairings with mussels, but garam masala is the wild card here, contributing an unexpected depth of curry flavor to the coconut–milk broth and tender mussels.

In our Egg Salad with Lemon and Fennel , fennel contributes juicy crunch and a nice hit of bright flavor. Here, the leftover fennel goes in a decidedly different direction: Candied in a sugar syrup, it has a softer snap and becomes more mellow. Along with pistachios, golden raisins, and fennel seeds, it makes a sophisticated filling for baked Gala apples. Many baked–apple recipes are too homey for company, but this version, with its spectrum of greens and golds, would be the highlight of any dinner party menu.

This side dish of silky mashed potatoes sweetened with pumpkin (left over from Pumpkin Muffins ), seasoned with fresh sage, and laced with melty strands of Fontina cheese is full of favorite autumnal flavors. But, surprisingly, it's the cider vinegar that really makes this dish sing—just a tablespoon of this stealth ingredient adds a roundness that ties the whole dish together. We love it with pork chops or turkey cutlets.

Crudités and dip are party staples. Choose whatever seasonal veggies you like, but mix up the colors. Some veggies, such as carrots and peppers, can be served raw, while others, like zucchini and asparagus, should be blanched but still have a slight crunch. There's nothing sexy about a limp piece of asparagus! And keep the vegetables separate—it makes it easier to refill the platters.

Soup is a great way to use up leftover greens, especially the leafy tops of beets or turnips, which too often get tossed in the compost pile. In this suave, satisfying soup, braising beet tops and collard greens (left over, respectively, from Smoked–Sable Tartare with Beets and Watercress and Wild–Mushroom Bundles ) with fennel and onion mellows the greens' hearty flavor and brings out a surprising smoothness (heightened by the cream stirred in at the end). Adding the spinach just before blending helps keep the color bright.

It's only natural to use leftover chicken broth (from Blade Steaks with Rosemary White–Bean Purée ) to make chicken soup. But what a soup! Steeping ginger and scallion greens in the stock and then poaching the chicken in it is a quick way to achieve a depth of flavor. The final soup is enriched with silky ribbons of just–cooked eggs, shreds of tender chicken, and fresh rings of scallion. Best of all, this satisfying soup is easy enough to pull together after work.

"Simple, simple, simple! Just throw it in the oven and jump in the shower." That's how food stylist Toni Brogan described this savory pie, a favorite in her native New Zealand. And it really is that easy—just line a pan with puff pastry, fill it up with onions, thinly sliced potatoes, and, in place of the usual bacon, prosciutto (left over from Ravioli with Green Beans and Prosciutto ), then crack some eggs on top and cover with more pastry. By the time everyone is out of the shower, the pie is ready to come out of the oven, all golden and flaky on the outside, layered with deliciousness on the inside. Though it's traditional to serve the pie with ketchup, we love it with some spicy chutney on the side.

It might seem like a joke to include a recipe designed to use up leftover white wine (from our Roast Turkey with Black Truffle Butter and White–Wine Gravy )—after all, why not just drink it?—but if you take the time to make this marvelous one–dish lamb dinner, you might find yourself hoarding half–empty bottles so you can make it again and again. Lamb shoulder chops are an inexpensive cut that benefits from braising, and the wine really helps tenderize the connective tissues running through the flavorful meat. Snuggling the lamb between sheets of thinly sliced potatoes, plus scatterings of golden garlic, onions, and thyme sprigs, creates a handsome and wonderfully aromatic dish.

Nothing could be easier than stirring together chopped scallions with a dollop of mayonnaise, and this quick coating adds considerable verve and oniony bite to meaty arctic char fillets. And it looks great, too—the green of the scallions contrasts nicely against the pink flesh of the fish. For this recipe, we use the leftover scallions from our Tuna Steak au Poivre recipe, but it would also work fine with a full bunch.

Hungry guests still rubbing the sleep from their eyes will be delighted to encounter this satisfying spin on that old diner favorite, the Western omelet. But it's just as nice for dinner, served with some roasted potatoes and a salad. This frittata is a great one to have in your recipe arsenal when you're faced with some leftover breakfast sausage (from our Sausage-Stuffed Potatoes with Green Salad, for example).

Shot through with tarragon, parsley, and scallions, this tangy sauce pairs beautifully with rich southern-fried sweetbreads . If you have any left over, use it as a salad dressing or as a dip for crudités.

The leftover Savoy cabbage from our <epi:recipelink id="351167"">Winter Minestrone</epi:recipelink> makes a quick and easy side dish when thinly sliced and sautéed with some scallions and garlic. It tastes great with pork chops, chicken, or fish.