Too much turkey? Mountains of mashed potatoes? Copious cranberry sauce? Area chefs share their favorite recipes for enjoying the best of what’s left.
“If you just heat up turkey, that’s a leftover. If you make something out of a leftover, it’s not a leftover anymore. It’s a new dish,” explained executive chef Fred Duerr of Rising Sun Inn in Telford.
Try his turkey pot pie, which he bakes “the next day at work for a staff meal.”
Duerr also blends cranberry relish with whipped cream for an old-fashioned cranberry fool.
“It’s easy. Any fool can make it,” he joked.
“We’ll take the leftover cranberry sauce and mix it with mayonnaise and make a spread for a cold turkey sandwich,” suggested John Serock of John Serock Catering in West Chester, who’s “notorious for making a 30-pound bird for eight people.”
As an encore, he serves turkey tetrazzini.
“Another thing I like to do is make like a potato pancake with the leftover stuffing and mashed potatoes,” Serock said. “I saute them in a pan and then I’ll top them with warm turkey meat and gravy.”
Or warm up with a bowl of pumpkin turkey chili.
“I love that it packs in more nutrition to a hearty dish like chili, plus the pumpkin gives it a nice smooth texture,” described Rachel VanDuzer of VanDuzer Design & Marketing. “The added fall spices make it a welcome fall ‘comfort’ food.”
She represents farms and markets like Wolff’s Apple House in Media, where she posted the dish.
“The fact that it uses turkey is so nice to keep it even leaner,” VanDuzer added. “It pairs amazingly well with a slice of cornbread and a glass of apple cider!”
Cranberry RelishIngredients2 (12-ounce) bags fresh cranberries
2 oranges1 cup granulated sugar
1 ounce or more orange liqueurInstructions
Cut rind off orange. Reserve half of an orange rind. In food processor, combine all ingredients, including the reserved half orange rind. Puree or pulse to a fine consistency. For sweeter taste – add more sugar.
Recipe courtesy of Rising Sun Inn
Cranberry FoolIngredients1 pint and 4 ounces heavy cream
1 cup sugar1 tablespoon vanilla
8 ounces cranberry relish4 ounces cranberry relish for garnish
InstructionsWhip cream until soft peaks form. Add sugar and vanilla. Fold in 8 ounces of cranberry relish. Chill 15 minutes and serve in wine glass. Top with remaining relish.
Recipe courtesy of Rising Sun Inn
“Leftover” Thanksgiving Turkey Pot Pie
Ingredients2 cups diced turkey2 cup diced stuffing
1/2 cup corn1/2 cup celery1/2 cup onion
1/2 cup green beans or any vegetable
2 cups turkey gravy1 (9-inch) pie shell
6 ounces pie dough for top1 egg
InstructionsCombine all ingredients except egg. (Reserve egg for egg wash.) Pour in shell and cover top with pie dough. Coat crust with egg wash. Bake 45 to 60 minutes at 325 degrees.
Recipe courtesy of Rising Sun Inn
Pumpkin Turkey ChiliServings: 8 to 10
Ingredients2 pounds ground turkey (or cooked shredded turkey)
1/2 large yellow onion, diced1 green bell pepper, diced
2 (15-ounce) cans kidney, cannelloni or black beans, drained
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (or 2 cups cooked pumpkin puree)
1 teaspoon cinnamon1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon saltInstructionsIn a large stock pot, brown turkey (if using raw turkey) over medium heat. Drain and remove from heat. Saute onion and bell pepper in olive oil, cook about 5 minutes until onions are translucent. Add turkey. Stir in crushed tomatoes, pumpkin puree and beans. Season with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, chili powder and salt. Bring to a low boil and then turn down immediately. Simmer 20 to 25 minutes.
Recipe courtesy of Rachel VanDuzer, VanDuzer Design & Marketing
Turkey StockYield: 2 quartsIngredients
1 cooked turkey carcass4 quarts cold water
2 large carrots, peeled, chopped
2 large onions, peeled, chopped
1 bunch celery, chopped2 tablespoons peppercorns
1 bunch parsley stems onlyInstructions
Place all ingredients into a 6-quart stockpot. Bring to a rolling simmer and simmer until reduced by half. Chill and put aside for favorite soup recipe.
Recipe courtesy of John Serock Catering
Turkey TetrazziniServings: 4 Ingredients
2 cups mushrooms, sliced thin5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour1 cup heavy cream
2 cups turkey stock12 ounces bowtie pasta
3 cups coarsely chopped cooked turkey (dark and white meat)
1 cup cooked peas2/3 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
1/2 cup panko or fine fresh bread crumbs
InstructionsIn a heavy bottom saucepan, saute the mushrooms over high heat in 1 tablespoon of butter until they begin to soften. Add the remaining butter to melt and reduce heat to low. Once butter had melted, add in flour and mix with a wooden spoon to make a roux. Over low heat, gently whisk in the turkey stock and then heavy cream working quickly to prevent lumps. Simmer sauce for 8 to 10 minutes until thickened.
In a separate pot, cook pasta in salted water until al dente (approximately 10 to 12 minutes). Drain pasta well and add to the mushroom sauce with the turkey and half of the grated cheese. Stir to combine.
Place turkey/cream mixture in a buttered, shallow oven-safe casserole. Top mixture with the bread crumbs and remaining Romano cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes until golden brown.
Note: Mixture may be made up to a day ahead of time or frozen for later use.
Recipe courtesy of John Serock Catering
