leftover turkey
Thanksgiving is over, which means leftover cooked turkey and elastic waistbands will be going into heavy rotation. An evening of prep work and an entire afternoon of cooking are well worth the effort, especially when it means a week of barely having to do anything about lunch or dinner (or breakfast, since I am willing to eat leftover stuffing for breakfast). Since I got a head start on my Thanksgiving feast, I also got a head start on my Thanksgiving hangover I mean leftovers.
The Obvious and Reliable Sandwich
Bread (in the photo above, rye), chopped leftover brussels sprouts, sliced manchego cheese, sliced turkey, cranberry sauce. I’ve had like 5 of these since the original dinner. Also good as a buttered and grilled sandwich, with sliced apples.
Turkey Hash with Eggs
Pan-fry chunks of boiled potato (or leftover mashed potatoes) with chopped turkey, leftover vegetables (I had carrots, celery, and onions from the roasting pan), and leftover herbs/seasonings. I added some congealed pan drippings and a splash of milk too. Make little wells and crack eggs into them. Transfer pan (if it’s oven-safe) into a 400-degree oven for a few minutes and cook until egg whites are set. If your pan can’t go straight into the oven, finish cooking the eggs on the stove, with a lid on the pan. You can also top the whole thing off with leftover gravy.
Turkey Laap
This is what my family typically does with their leftover turkey. Laap is a Thai/Lao meat salad. Combine finely chopped turkey with minced shallots, lime juice, fish sauce, chili peppers, fresh mint, cilantro, and ground up toasted uncooked rice (optional). Serve cold or warm.
Turkey Stock
It’s the same process for making chicken stock, but with a bigger bird. Put turkey carcass in a stockpot with a few celery stalks, a few carrot sticks, some quartered onions, salt, and peppercorns. I threw in some fennel stalks and parsley stems too. Fill the pot with water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for a few hours. After removing the bones and vegetables, skim off any scum from the surface. Strain through cheesecloth into storage containers, and store in the refrigerator. Fat will congeal at the top, making it easy to remove. Keep some in the freezer for later use. Tip: ventilate accordingly; I didn’t and an oniony turkey smell lingered in every room.
Other Ideas
You know what else would be good? Turkey enchiladas, turkey tinga, turkey salad (or in a leafy vegetable salad), turkey noodle soup (pho!?), turkey cobbler (like a pot pie but with biscuit dough on top), turkey chilaquiles, and Sichuan-style sliced turkey (love this idea!). Basically, the common theme is drowning the meat in interesting sauces and seasonings. Any other ideas to share? Playing with the leftovers is almost as fun as cooking the whole bird.
Having said that, I am totally sick of turkey and am looking forward to not eating any for a long, long time.
