Thanksgiving Leftovers: Expanding our Culinary Imagination One Turkey at a Time
Plain old turkey leftover for two weeks never sounds good. Between waist-size and Tryptophan-induced fatigue, thanks goes to the calendar that Thanksgiving only comes once a year. Remember... it's about sharing, even if it means you will share the turkey with your friends and family for a little while longer...
Once you are done nibbling don't let the bones go to waste! Take the bones, carcass and some skin if possible and boil them with water, a classic Mirepoix, and spices. Let it simmer for most of the day and it makes a delicious stock to thicken and flavor sauces, complement noodle dishes or make the base of a soup or stew.
The next easiest thing to do is make a sandwich. Turkey gets dry and leftovers always need some sort of umph. Turkey au jus is a perfect way to incorporate thinner gravy with turkey for a nice juicy compromise. Better yet, take that leftover cranberry sauce and use it to layer on the turkey for a flavorful sandwich.
Sauce up a croquet monsieur, turkey style; bind it with gruyere or your favorite cheese. You can even pop an egg on top for a protein packed sandwich.
For turkey Salad, dress up your turkey like you would your chicken, cube it into a nice Caesar or tossed green salad with nuts, goats cheese, beets, and green beans. Add a few pumpkin seeds for some real holiday feel.
Turkey Casserole and turkey pot pie are your best bet for de-turkifying the taste buds and not wasting the bird. Slice and dice so the turkey is well distributed, for a Shepherd's pie place your leftover mashed potatoes on top.
Turkey burritos or quesadillas are another great and original way to dress up turkey, add other seasonings to encourage other holiday tastes or give the dish a little ethnic flair.
Leftovers challenge the culinary artist inside all of us. Who knows? You might want to celebrate Thanksgiving more than once a year.
— Written by Molly McDonough
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