Thanksgiving leftovers can be as delicious as the meal itself. But after those turkey sandwiches with stuffing, gravy and cranberries, then what? Your house guests aren’t leaving until Sunday, and it’s only Friday. You have a picked-over turkey carcass with bits of meat staring at you and a house full of people who will need to be fed again. Never fear. This simple menu will solve your problems. A word of caution: Your guests will be so enamored with your culinary exploits—and the savory and sweet side dishes we paired with the main course—they may never want to leave.
THE MENU: • Homemade Turkey Stock
• Turkey Pot Pie
• Warm Curried Fruit
• Ginger Snap Parfaits with Bourbon Pecan Praline Sauce
HOMEMADE TURKEY STOCK Turkey carcasses are not a problem. They’re a solution and the base for many wonderful gumbos, soups, stews or our favorite turkey pot pie (the recipe follows). We start by dropping the carcass into a big pot and covering it with cold water. Throw in some aromatics like onion, celery and carrots, and begin simmering. You can add some salt and black peppercorns along with fresh herbs and then forget about it for a couple of hours. Also, feel free to adjust the seasonings to your family’s tastes.
Yields: 2 quarts
1-2 leftover turkey carcasses
10-12 cups cold water
3 whole carrots
4 celery stalks
1 large onion, quartered
1 tablespoon salt
¼ teaspoon black peppercorns
Sprigs of fresh thyme and parsley
1. Place the turkey carcass into a large stock pot and cover it with the water.
2. Add the vegetables, salt, peppercorns and fresh herbs.
3. Bring the pot up to a boil, then reduce the heat to low.
4. Cover the pot and simmer the stock for 2 to 3 hours. Turn the stove off, and allow the stock to cool before straining it into containers.
5. Store the turkey stock in airtight containers in the refrigerator for 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
TURKEY POT PIE
Homemade turkey stock and leftover meat go a long way in this dish—and yes, the crust is homemade. But don’t let that intimidate you. It’s really simple and comes out lighter and flakier than the rolled-out variety. If you’re pressed for time, however, don’t feel guilty about substituting store-bought pie crust.
Yields: 1 (9-inch) pie
For the crust:3 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar
9 tablespoons cold butter (cut into pieces)
¼ cup shortening1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar½ cup cold water
1. In the bowl of a food processor, pour in the flour, salt and sugar. Add the cold butter and the shortening, and begin pulsing until the mixture resembles cornmeal.
2. With the processor running, add the vinegar and slowly pour in the water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough begins to come together.
3. Once the dough has formed a ball, turn off the processor and turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface.
4. Knead the dough into a smooth ball and cover it with plastic wrap. Place the dough into the refrigerator to rest for about 30 minutes. (Crust dough can be made 1 day in advance.)
For the filling: ½ cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons butter
½ cup flour
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped celery
½ cup chopped carrots
3 cups warm turkey stock1 teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground black pepper¼ teaspoon dried herbes de Provence¼ teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups chopped roasted turkey
1. In a large skillet, melt the butter and oil over medium heat.
2. Add the flour and stir until smooth. Continue stirring the roux over medium heat until it turns the color of peanut butter. This will take about 5 to 7 minutes.
3. Once the roux is brown, add the chopped onion, celery and carrots. Continue stirring for 2 to 3 more minutes.
4. Gently pour in the warm turkey stock. Add the salt, pepper, thyme and herbes de Provence. Stir until the mixture begins to thicken and coat the back of a spoon.
5. Fold in the chopped turkey and allow the mixture to simmer 5 minutes.
6. Turn off the heat and let the filling cool 10 to 15 minutes before pouring it into the prepared pie crust. (The filling can be made 1 day in advance.)
TO ASSEMBLE THE PIE:
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees and divide the dough into 3 equal pieces.
2. Place one of the pieces on a sheet of parchment sprinkled with flour. Sprinkle a bit more flour over the top of the dough and cover with a second sheet of parchment.
3. Gently press the dough down with the palm of your hand to form a disk. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a 10-inch circle.
4. Peel the top layer of parchment from the dough. Invert the pie plate on top of the dough and flip it over so the dough will sit inside the pie plate. Remove the other sheet of parchment and press the dough into the pie plate.
5. Follow the same process of rolling out the dough with the second piece to cover the pie once the filling has been poured. Reserve the third piece of dough for another use, such as pumpkin or pecan pie.
6. Pour the turkey filling over the prepared dough in the pie plate.
7. Cover the pie with the second piece of rolled-out dough. Crimp the edges together and cut a few slits in the top of the pie.
8. Place the pie onto a baking sheet in case some of the filling leaks out while it bakes, and put it into the oven for 10 minutes.
9. Reduce the heat to 325. Continue baking for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and bubbly.
10. Remove the pot pie from the oven and allow it to sit for 5 minutes before cutting.
WARM CURRIED FRUIT
We first published this recipe back in December 2014, but it is a favorite side dish for the holiday season and winter months. It is warm and satisfying. The balance between sweet with the hint of spices like curry make it a delicious dish to serve along with meats and savory pies. It is also a nice dish to serve for a brunch alongside egg dishes.
Servings: 6
4 tablespoons melted butter
½ cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
2 teaspoons ground curry
2 cups fresh pineapple, cut into chunks
2 cups fresh or frozen peaches, cut into chunks
2 cups fresh pears, cut into chunks
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees and butter a casserole dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter.
2. In a large mixing bowl, toss the remaining butter, brown sugar and spices with the fruit.
3. Pour the fruit mixture into the buttered dish and bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes to prevent the top from becoming too brown.
4. Remove from the oven and serve.
GINGER SNAP PARFAITS WITH BOURBON PECAN PRALINE SAUCE
Over the Thanksgiving holidays, we all tend to partake in dessert, and pie is usually the dessert of choice. At our house, we always have at least four different types of pie to choose from, but there is only so much pie one can eat in a holiday weekend. That’s why we came up with a quick and easy fall-inspired parfait that will satisfy your sweet tooth. The spicy ginger snaps complement the sweet, buttery praline sauce and creamy ice cream. It is quick to throw together, and when you serve it in a festive ice cream dish it makes a lovely presentation.
Servings: 6
4 tablespoons butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 ounces of bourbon 1⁄3 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 cup toasted pecans, chopped
1 cup ginger snaps, crushed
6 scoops vanilla ice cream
1. In a sauce pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat and add the brown sugar. Stir until the mixture is smooth and the sugar is melted.
2. Turn the heat off and add the bourbon. Let the mixture boil for 30 seconds as the alcohol burns off before turning the heat back on.
3. Simmer the mixture for another minute, then add the milk and vanilla.
4. Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer until the sauce thickens. Add in the chopped pecans and turn off the heat.
5. Divide the scoops of ice cream between 6 serving dishes and spoon the warm praline sauce over the ice cream. Top with the crushed ginger snaps and serve.
This article was originally published in the November 2017 issue of 225 magazine.
½ teaspoon ground black pepper¼ teaspoon dried herbes de Provence¼ teaspoon dried thyme
