Because great fridge finds deserve great drinks.

Want to know the best thing about Christmas? The gifts? Sure, we love a good pressie. But a very close second is the food. And perhaps even better than the annual feast are all the leftovers that follow. The chaos is over, everyone’s gone, and you can just open the fridge, slice off a chunk of ham and carry on with your day. This is what we call true Christmas cheer.

The food that goes hand-in-hand with the festive season is full of tradition, and it’s a big part of what makes this holiday so special. But rather than pick at the best bits of the leftovers while standing in front of the fridge (we are so very guilty), we think they deserve to be turned into tasty new dishes. And you know we’re all about matching food and drinks, so we’ve rounded up some top pairings to enjoy throughout the post-Christmas lull.

Whether it’s ham, cheese, smoked salmon or something else, here are five ways to make the most of your Christmas leftovers and the ideal drinks to pair with them.

1. The ham

If there’s a Christmas miracle, we reckon it’s leftover ham – and the fact you scored some. You could use it in sandwiches or fry it up to serve with hollandaise, sourdough and eggs for a Benedict special, but we love to toss chunks of it through our pasta carbonara. Because even though you declared at Christmas that you’d never eat again, you’ll inevitably be ready for a carb loading two days later. Keep it traditional (and super easy) by frying the ham, adding cooked spaghetti to the pan and tossing it all through with beaten eggs and a splash of cooking water. Season it with salt and pepper, and stir Parmesan through for salty, glossy, creamy perfection.

To drink: If ever there was a time and place for great chardonnay, this is it. Bright, citrus-forward examples with a touch of oak are a surprisingly great pairing for this eggy, creamy delight. See just how well Margaret River does chardy with one of the greats – Xanadu.

$37.99 each

2. The forgotten cheese plate

You know how it goes – the cheese platter comes out early, everyone tucks in, but once the main event starts, no one comes back to the half-eaten blue, barely touched cheddar and puddle of brie. Hopefully someone packs it all away because that’s one incredible toastie in waiting. Butter some bread, perhaps follow that with Dijon, and then throw in whatever cheese you have – a mix of styles is what makes this so good. You might want to bulk it up with regular cheese, and a few thin slices of onion are highly recommended – as are generous slices of that ham. Pop it in the sandwich press and prepare for oozy indulgence.

To drink: We love a good high-low combo, so we’re pairing this with sparkling wine. The high-acid bubbles will refresh after every bite, and you probably still have a bottle in the fridge. Otherwise, crack that special fizz you never got to on the big day – we’re loving the Charles Orban Blanc de Blancs.

$56.99 Each

3. The smoked salmon

Left with smoked salmon that got lost in a sea of starters? You could go for scrambled eggs and smoked salmon with fresh dill (breakfast for dinner is highly encouraged), or salmon blinis are an excellent snack in front of the cricket – cheat with store-bought pikelets. For us, though, we’re throwing it into a monster salad, which is also the perfect use for those leftover beans and potato salad, the avocados that weren’t used and whatever else you find in the fridge. Mix chopped smoked salmon through at the end with fresh herbs, a squeeze of lemon and drizzle of olive oil, and you’ll be so glad you did.

To drink: This is G&T’s time to shine, especially if you’ve loaded your salad with cucumber, capers and herbs. Serve your G&T in a tall glass with ice, and your garnish could be anything from fresh lemon or the same herbs you used in the salad or even a slice of cucumber. In fact, go with Hendrick’s Gin and garnish it with all three.

$69.90 Each

4. The chicken

Someone always panics that there won’t be enough food at Christmas and tends to throw in a roast chicken at the last minute. If that cooked chook is still sitting in your fridge, this is a very happy find. When it’s hot and you’re not in your MasterChef era, an Asian-inspired chicken salad is your friend. All you need is chopped cabbage, spring onion, grated carrot and maybe some cooked glass noodles or rice vermicelli (Vietnamese mint and holy basil are also excellent additions). Shred the chicken, mix it all through and get creative with your dressing – think soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and olive oil, or just vinegar, oil and fresh chilli. Everything works with this fresh, crunchy, easy dish.

To drink: The no-brainer with this meal is an Asian lager. Here’s hoping someone recently popped over with a six-pack of crisp, dry Asian beers and there’s one still rolling around in the fridge. Otherwise, pick up some Asahi – this refreshing brew will work with just about everything you dish up right now.

$54.95 case (24)

5. The pudding

Think we’re going to tell you how to reinvent Nan’s Christmas pud? No chance. This dish demands to be respected and enjoyed as intended – preferably reheated and topped with ice cream, custard or cream – or, let’s be honest, all three. There’s something about the Christmas pudding that is super nostalgic, even if Nan (or any other relative, for that matter) has never made it and you buy it from the same place each year. This rich cake is loaded with dried fruit, candied peel, sugar and spices, and there’s often a good slug of brandy or rum in there, too. It’s festive, fruity, dense and decadent, and if you’ve ended up with a slab of it at your place, you may have just won Christmas.

To drink: For a traditional pairing, reach for a fortified (you can’t go past the Morris Liqueur Muscat) or brandy (St Agnes VS is an Aussie highlight). But this year, we’re buying ourselves a bottle of Amaro Montenegro for this exact moment – complex and bittersweet but still approachable, it’s a perfect match.

$62.99 each