Everybody has a ‘standard’ recipe repertoire designed to use up Family Feast leftovers. A no-brainer for you. A drag for the folks you feed… I’ve come up with some original hacks and mashups designed to ‘freshen up’ your leftovers…
I went looking online for some really new, exciting, balanced, nutritious recipes I could suggest to my loyal and beloved readers, to ‘keep it fresh’ while using up Family Feast leftovers…
Worse than TV reruns…
But when I Googled the topic, I got back dozens of different versions of the same old sad, tired bor-ing dishes. Turkey Soup. Turkey Stew. Turkey Pot Pie. Hot Turkey Sandwiches. You know the drill.
So I decided to take a look at another look at some of the wonderful, simple, tasty and engaging recipes Sister Erin has sent my way over the past year. It turns out a number of them tasted better when made with turkey than they did with their original ingredients…
The crème de la crème…
Here are my faves from my own version of a data-mining analysis – of my own archives and wild wild web…
Turkubano
The classic Cuban Sandwich, but with roast Turkey instead of Roast Pork. We already suggested the original Cubano as a ‘contrast’ main in a recent post. Take it on one step further!
Jubilee Chicken
A Turkey version of Coronation Chicken, number 7 on the UK’s Top 10 Sandwich list for 2024. And a whole level (or 2?) above your usual Chicken (or Turkey) salad. Be sure to taste for spiciness as well as salt. You try use other tangy relishes in place of the Mango Chutney – though the chutney really is a great choice with Turkey!
Hot & Sour Turkey Soup
Add cubed or shredded Turkey to classic Hot & Sour Soup. The extra-earthy flavour of dark meat adds a whole new, fully-integrated level of flavour to this beloved winter warmer.
Turkey Curry
A favourite of mine, and one that offers the opportunity for lots of hacks and ‘legal’ shortcuts. You can use a pre-mixed curry spice blend rather than going through all the fuss of making your own, as illustrated in the recipe. And you can use as much or as little curry as you want to regulate the ‘heat’. If you use only a little, you might want to consider adding some extra Turmeric to enrich the colour of this dish. Serve with classic plain Basmati or Jasmine rice.
Turkey Stuffed Hashbrowns
This technique lends itself to many different fillings. Mince or finely chop the leftover turkey. You may want to try adding some leftover stuffing for a more complex, heartier flavour. Don’t be afraid to tin-ker with other flavour and texture hacks. Just don’t over-stuff the pockets.
Turkey Samosas
Samosas don’t have to be folded in the classic triangular shape. Use this Chicken Samosa recipe as a guide. And there’s no need to fuss with special pastry. Use puff pastry from the store. And create sim-ple Eggroll-like packets, if you want. Otherwise go super-simple, and make fail-proof rectangular or half-moon-shaped turnovers. The filling should be at least half minced or finely chopped turkey.
Be sure to add some leftover stuffing, or stuffing spices for a zesty, herbacious flavour. And don’t for-get to add a handful of leftover kernel corn or green peas or both. Small-cubed potatoes and green peas are both authentic additions to Samosa fillings.
My take
The foregoing are just a few of the creative, innovative options you can access to make leftover tur-key and other elements of your family feast ‘new again’.
Consider the leftover conundrum a challenge rather than a ‘threat’!
Remember: You engineered yet another successful Holiday Festive Feast. You’ve got this…
~ Maggie J.