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Cooking to Beat the Clock on A Chef's Table

Turkey Leftovers 

For many of us, the three, four, five, even six days after Thanksgiving are the flip side of the 12 Days of Christmas. Instead of inching closer to a joyous occasion, we’re counting down (usually with gritted teeth) until the last  vestige of turkey, not to mention all those fixin’s, is finished. “Turkey sandwiches, again!?” But Turkey Day leftovers offer lots of possibilities for quick meals, especially since many of the ingredients are already cooked.

Try making a pate by pureeing 11/2 pounds cooked turkey in a food processor with 4 chopped shallots, 2 cloves garlic, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 2 tablespoons brandy and just enough cream to make it smooth and creamy. Though you can eat the pate immediately (with crackers or bread), the flavor will improve if refrigerated overnight. Turkey tonnato is a variation on vitello tonnato, the cold Italian dish. For this, puree 5 anchovy fillets, 3 tablespoons capers, and a 7-ounce can of olive oil-packed tuna in a food processor. Thin with a bit of turkey stock and fold into 11/4 cups mayonnaise, or just enough to make a spreadable sauce. Add lemon juice to taste. Alternate layers of the sauce and about 1 1/2 pounds sliced, cooked turkey breast on a platter. As with the pate, the flavor will improve if refrigerated about 8 hours.

Other quick turkey leftover dishes that won’t bore you or your family include turkey curry, spicy turkey chili, and turkey Waldorf salad with apples, pecans, and, instead of celery, fennel. And remember, leftovers don’t have to involve just turkey. You can make a savory sausage by combining 1 3/4 pounds well-chopped turkey meat with 1 pound bread stuffing and 4 to 6 ounces of drained cranberry sauce. Add 2 eggs to help bind the mixture, then form into one large (or more smaller) sausages. Wrap in cheesecloth or foil and bake for 45 minutes in a 375 degree oven. Let rest 10 minutes before unwrapping.

Even those ubiquitous casseroles can be a bit special with the addition of an out-of-the-ordinary ingredient. When making Tetrazzini, the creamy turkey-noodle dish named after an opera singer, use shiitake mushrooms instead of the usual button mushrooms. To the “blanquette de bird” below (a variation on the French veal stew, blanquette de veau), you could add frozen Belgian carrots. Serve it with a pinot blanc, full-bodied chardonnay, or Alsatian riesling.

Blanquette de Bird

1 cup basmati rice
1 teaspoon salt plus additional for seasoning
2 tablespoons butter
8 ounces mushrooms
Freshly ground pepper 
2 cups (one 10-ounce package) frozen peas with pearl onions
11/4 pounds cooked, skinless turkey meat 
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
1/4 cup dry white wine 
11/4 cups fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken stock
2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 3/4 teaspoon dried
One 4-ounce jar chopped pimiento
One 5-ounce can evaporated milk

1)While the hot-water tap runs, put the rice in a 2-quart saucepan. Add 2 cups hot tap water and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Turn the heat off and keep covered until ready to serve. (Or put the rice, 2 cups hot tap water, and 1 teaspoon salt in a 2-quart microwave-safe container. Cover and cook in a microwave oven on high power for 10 minutes. Keep covered until ready to serve.)

2)Meanwhile, put the butter in a 12-inch sauté pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Thinly slice the mushrooms with the slicing attachment of a food processor or by hand. Add to the sauté pan and season with salt and pepper. Raise the heat to high, stir, and cook for 3 minutes.

3)Meanwhile, put the peas and onions in a small colander and run hot tap water over them just until they are defrosted. Cut the turkey into bite-sized pieces.

4)Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms, stir well and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine and chicken stock and bring to a boil, stirring with a wooden spoon to scrape up any bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the turkey, peas and onions, and thyme. Stir well, cover and bring to a boil.

5)Drain the pimientos. Add the pimientos and evaporated milk to the pan. Cover and return to a boil (a minute or less). Uncover and lower heat to a brisk simmer while stirring to prevent the sauce from separating. Cook until sauce thickens slightly, about 2 or 3 minutes. Serve over the rice.

Serves 4

Per serving: 603 calories, 56 grams protein, 57 grams carbohydrate, 17 grams fat, 7.6 grams saturated fat, 136 mg cholesterol, 1267 mg sodium.