ITALIAN TURKEY MINESTRONE
INGREDIENTS:
2 quarts chicken broth
1 turkey carcass, all meat removed
1 onion, halved, plus 1 onion, minced
1 carrot, halved lengthwise, plus 1 carrot, minced
1 whole stalk celery, plus 1 more stalk, minced
3 cups turkey meat
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 carrot, minced
1 stalk celery, minced
3 cups leftover cooked vegetables, like spinach, sweet potatoes, green beans
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage leaves
PREPARATION:
Put chicken broth, turkey, onion halves, carrot halves and 1 celery stalk in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer about 1½ hours. Finely dice the remaining onion, carrot and celery and reserve. Dice the turkey meat. Make sure meat pieces are no larger than the size of a soup spoon. If preparing soup the next day, be sure to store leftover turkey meat in an airtight container before placing it in the refrigerator, top with 1 or 2 ladles full of broth to keep meat moist. Before straining broth, remove large bones and carcass with tongs. Strain the broth through a sieve, covered with wet cheese cloth. Discard the solids. Transfer broth to a bowl set in a bath of ice water which will cool the broth quickly and help keep it fresher longer. This can be done the night before and stored in the refrigerator until the next day. In a large soup pot, heat garlic cloves in the olive oil. Allow to brown slightly and add minced carrots, celery and onion. Sweat over medium-low heat until softened, about 7 or 8 minutes. Dice the leftover vegetables. Add the chopped sage to the soup pot along with the turkey broth. Bring to a simmer. When simmering, add the vegetables and diced turkey meat to the soup. Bring it back up to a simmer. Finally, add the sweet potatoes to the center and gently push them down. Turn the heat off and cover. Allow to sit and steam for 5 to 7 minutes. Let simmer for 5 more minutes and serve.
TURKEY TETRAZZINI OVER PASTA
INGREDIENTS:
2½ cups chicken stock
5 tablespoons butter, plus more for the baking dish
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound assorted mushrooms, sliced
6 sage leaves, chopped
¼ cup all-purpose flour
3 cups heavy cream
½ head broccoli, in small florets
1 pound fettuccini
5 cups leftover turkey, shredded, without skin and bones
1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
¼ cup bread crumbs, dry
PREPARATION:
Butter a 9-by-13 baking dish and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. In a small pot, heat chicken stock. In a large straight-sided skillet over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter with 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat. When butter is melted, add mushrooms and season with ½ teaspoon salt. Cook until mushrooms lose their moisture and are browned, about 3-4 minutes. Add sage and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Scrape mushrooms into a bowl. In the same skillet, melt 3 tablespoons butter in 2 tablespoons oil over medium-low heat. When butter is melted, stir in flour to make a smooth paste. Cook and stir until light tan in color, then season with 1 teaspoon of salt. Whisk in the hot stock, making sure to get out all the lumps. Increase heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the cream. Bring back to a simmer and cook, about 5 minutes. Cook the broccoli to taste.
Meanwhile, add the pasta to boiling water. Cook until al dente. When done, drop the pasta in the broccoli pot for a few minutes and drain well. Add the turkey, pasta and broccoli to the sauce and stir to combine to heat the turkey through. Off heat, stir in ½ cup of grated cheese and pour into the prepared baking dish. In a small bowl, mix together remaining grated cheese and bread crumbs. Sprinkle over top. Bake until top is browned and bubbly, about 30 minutes.
TURKEY CUTLETS MARSALA
INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
leftover turkey gravy
1 tablespoon freshly chopped fresh thyme (leftover from turkey seasonings)
Marsala wine
leftover turkey breast, cut crosswise into ½-inch thick slices
1 cup all-purpose flour
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon water
1 ½ cups dry bread crumbs
vegetable oil
PREPARATION:
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until golden brown and liquid has evaporated. Add 1 cup of turkey gravy, thyme and enough Marsala wine just to dilute. Cook until heated through. Keep warm over low heat.
Place the flour on a large plate and season with salt and pepper. Whisk together the eggs and 1 tablespoon of water in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Heat ¼ cup of vegetable oil in a medium high sided sauté pan until it just begins to shimmer. Dredge the sliced breast in the flour, tap off excess then dip in the egg wash, letting any excess drip off. Place in the oil and cook until just golden brown on both sides. Add the Marsala sauce and cook slightly until sauce thickens.
Serve with an arugula salad on the side.
THANKSGIVING PIZZA
INGREDIENTS:
1 pound pizza dough
all-purpose flour, for dusting
1 teaspoon cornmeal
1 teaspoon olive oil
½ teaspoon sugar
¾ cup mashed potatoes
½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 teaspoons heavy cream
1 cup leftover stuffing
roasted turkey meat, with skin
¼ cup gravy
PREPARATION:
Put a pizza stone or upside-down baking sheet in the oven; preheat to 500 degrees F. Stretch the pizza dough into a 12-inch round on a floured surface. Dust the pizza stone or upside-down baking sheet with 1/2 teaspoon cornmeal and put the dough on top. Brush with the olive oil and sprinkle with the sugar and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of cornmeal. Slide onto the hot pizza stone or baking sheet and bake until golden on the bottom, 5 to 7 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix the mashed potatoes with 1/4 cup of the cheese and cream; set aside. Roll tablespoonfuls of the stuffing into 1-inch balls to look like meatballs. Shred the turkey meat and julienne the skin. Slide the crust back onto the stone. Spread the mashed potatoes over the crust, then top with the shredded turkey. Drizzle the pizza with gravy. Arrange the stuffing balls on top and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese and the turkey skin. Return the pizza to the oven and bake until golden brown, about 8 more minutes.
