Food that tastes better the next day....

[Smowball]

After Eccles wanting lasagne, lol, got me thinking. It always tastes better the next day. And today I made a Cottage Pie for dinner, which was lovely, but I know the remainder will taste so much better tomorrow. What else do you think is better the next day?

[Zacs-Master]

Chilli.

[flump1]

Roast turkey !!

[237SJ]

Curry. Definately. The meat and spices have marinated the next day.

[erin-x]

Pizza... Cold pizza the morning after... Mmmmmmmm :-)

[Psybbo]

Any stews, spag bol and your cottage pie, also curries

[jomifl]

cold sausage and mustard sandwich

[jamesnan]

Casserole.

[EcclesCake]

Chilli, curries and tagines all improve with time. That period of letting the spices mature makes all the difference in slow cooked dishes.

I'm going to sleep now, I had a greasy horrible lunch out and do not want to be taunted with tales of deliciousness!

[Smowball]

Oooh some good ones! I love chilli the next day - yummmmm....

[wiltsman]

I worked in a factory that made Pork Pies. They were best when a few days old, as the jelly surrounding the meat would slowly get absorbed into the pastry case, making them tastier.

[DTCwordfan]

Most soups but particularly Onion.

BBQ Spare Ribs - allowed to marinade.

[DTCwordfan]

leaving beef, lamb, venison, game birds to hang properly..............that extra day is worth it.

[Psybbo]

I'm going to nick that, DT

[DTCwordfan]

(which one? sibbo)

[Jeza]

Chinese take away. Stew. Tatties and onions.

[Psybbo]

The BBQ Spare ribs xx

[Zacs-Master]

Nothing like a well hung lamb DT. Baaaaaaah.

[Smowball]

Oh god I'm getting hungry now!

[robert551069]

WINE tastes better the next day. Open the bottle and pour the wine into a jug. Leave it for 24 hours and it will taste better.

[DTCwordfan]

I like Nigel Slater's Onion soup with a personal twist.....

The recipe

Serves 4-6

700g onions
40g butter
2 tbsp flour
1.75 litres beef stock
1 glass of white wine
Baguette to toast
Gruyère or Emmenthal

Peel and thinly slice 700g onions, then leave them to soften in 40g butter and a small glug of olive oil over a low to medium heat. Stir them regularly. They are ready when they are soft, sticky, sweet and deep gold in colour.

Some add a pinch of sugar at this point to help the onions caramelise (Good!).

Stir in a couple of tablespoons of flour, cook for 3 or 4 minutes, then pour in
1.75 litres of boiling beef stock and (my tip - not a glass of white wine but a glass of dark sherry and a glass of Noilly Prat - or Marsala).

Partially cover with a lid and leave to simmer for a good 45 minutes.
Now at this point you can leave overnight

Bring back to the heat, season, ladle into deep, heatproof bowls, place several thin slices of toasted baguette on to each, then cover with thinly sliced Gruyère or Emmenthal. Bake in a hot oven for 20 minutes or grill until the bread is toasted and the cheese has melted but not browned.

The magic

The trick to getting this soup right is that the onions caramelise – they must cook for at least 35-40 minutes over a low to moderate heat. Only when the onions are soft enough to crush easily between finger and thumb can you add the flour and stock.

Other twists

Contemporary versions can involve roasting the onions in the oven to give a more concentrated sweetness. Red onions produce the sweetest version of all, so you might like to add thyme and bay as a balance. Parmesan in place of Gruyère produces a less fatty but just as tasty crust.