Delicious uses for 3 common kitchen leftovers

Don't throw out the leftovers after having a nice dinner. Instead, use these ingredients in unexpected — and tasty — new ways. Here are some ideas.

• To make an easy peach dessert, slice two perfectly ripe, large peaches into thin wedges. Pour 175 millilitres (3/4 cup) Chianti wine over the top and chill for one hour. Serve with freshly whipped cream.
• To create a quick pan sauce after browning meat, remove the browned meat and add 30 millilitres (two tablespoons) chopped shallots. Cook for one minute, then pour in 250 millilitres (one cup) red wine or port, scraping the pan bottom to break up the brown bits. Boil over high heat until the liquid is reduced in volume by half. Stir in 30 millilitres (two tablespoons) unsalted butter and 10 millilitres (two teaspoons) chopped fresh herbs. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Pour over the meat.
• To give cold fruit soups a sophisticated edge, stir in a few millilitres, or tablespoons, of white wine such as chardonnay or Chablis.

• To make better-tasting clam chowder, stir in a little Worcestershire sauce.
• To give chilis and stews that je ne sais quoi, stir in a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce. Worcestershire's blend of tart tamarind, sweet orange zest and salty anchovies adds unmatched complexity to any meat-based stew.
• For easy barbecue sauce, mix together 125 millilitres (1/2 cup) ketchup, 15 millilitres (one tablespoon) Worcestershire sauce, 15 millilitres (one tablespoon) apple-cider vinegar, and five millilitres (one teaspoon) hot-pepper sauce. Use as a sauce for grilled chicken, ribs or fish, or for roasts or chops.
• To make a sweet tomato vinaigrette dressing, whisk together: 45 millilitres (three tablespoons) tomato puree, five millilitres (one teaspoon) Worcestershire sauce, 15 millilitres (one tablespoon) honey, 15 millilitres (one tablespoon) apple-cider vinegar, 75 millilitres (1/3 cup) vegetable oil, two millilitres (1/2 teaspoon) hot-pepper sauce, two millilitres (1/2 teaspoon) salt, one millilitre (1/4 teaspoon) freshly ground black pepper.
• For a quick, creamy clam dip, soften one 225 gram (eight ounce) package cream cheese to room ­temperature in a medium bowl. Stir in 50 millilitres (1/4 cup) cream or half-and-half until smooth. Stir in 15 millilitres (one tablespoon) fresh lemon juice, five millilitres (one teaspoon) Worcestershire sauce, five millilitres (one teaspoon) prepared horseradish, one drained can (185 grams/6 1/2 ounces) minced clams, two millilitres (1/2 teaspoon) salt, and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Store in the refrigerator for up to two days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
• To enhance the flavour of gravy, stir in 10 millilitres (two teaspoons) Worcestershire sauce per 250 millilitres (one cup) of gravy.
• To perk up the sauce for macaroni and cheese, stir in a little Worcestershire sauce. A few dashes of the sauce does wonders for cheese soups, too.

• To thicken Mexican soups, soak torn-up corn tortillas or tortilla chips in the soup's broth, then stir to break up the ­tortillas and thicken the soup.
• For Southwestern-style baked macaroni and cheese, add a little chili powder and bacon to the cheese sauce. Top with crushed tortilla chips that have been sautéed in the bacon drippings.
• To make Mexican pork stew, sauté onions, garlic, ancho chile powder and boneless pork stew meat in oil, then add chicken broth, oregano, tomatoes and canned hominy. Simmer on medium-low heat until the pork is fall-apart tender. Serve the stew topped with broken tortilla chips, avocado slices and lime wedges.

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