You've Got Lots of Thanksgiving Leftovers. Now What?
Turkey Carnitas Tacos, Eggs Baked in Stuffing, Cranberry-Yogurt Parfaits ...
First of all: Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you’re not even checking your emails today, and that this post finds you tomorrow, when, presumably, you’ll need it most.
Years ago, I published a piece in the Times Magazine called “A Radical Rethinking of Thanksgiving Leftovers.” It’s a list of mini recipes (somewhere between ideas and full-on instructions) for what to do with the four Thanksgiving leftovers that many of us are most likely to have lying around come Friday: turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce. It remains my favorite collection of Thanksgiving leftover recipes that I’ve done and, rather than re-jigger the whole thing, I’ve turned it into the equivalent of an album with bonus tracks. Version 2.0 (below) includes all of the original recipe ideas, many of which have been updated to weave in different ingredients and flavor profiles, along with a handful of recipes that were (due to space restrictions) left on the cutting room floor.
Of course, your leftovers may not match these exactly, but there’s enough variety here for you to find at least a few things that will work for what you’ve got on hand. At the very least, consider these “recipes” as a way to stimulate your imagination past the point of the requisite next-day sandwiches.
TURKEY
Turkey-Noodle Soup With Star Anise and Ginger
Cook chopped onion, carrot, celery, garlic and ginger in neutral oil until soft, then add chicken or turkey stock, and a few pieces of whole star anise, and bring to a boil. Cook udon or soba noodles in boiling salted water until almost done; drain and stir them into the soup, along with shredded turkey; heat through, and discard the star anise before serving. Garnish: Scallions.
Turkey Salad with Scallions and Smoky, Spicy Mayonnaise
Toss shredded turkey with chopped scallions, celery and cilantro. Fold in mayonnaise, some finely chopped canned chipotle in adobo to taste, and some toasted pumpkin seeds if you like. Garnish: Cilantro.
Indian-Spiced Turkey-Lentil Soup
Cook chopped onion, carrot and celery in butter until soft. Add a sprinkle of curry powder or garam masala and cook until fragrant. Add lentils, a bay leaf and turkey or other stock, and a splash of coconut milk to cover. Bring to a boil; turn the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender. Stir in chopped turkey and heat through. Garnish: Fresh mint.
Pulled-Turkey Sandwich with Hoisin BBQ Sauce
Whisk together ketchup and hoisin sauce (about a half cup of each), a splash of rice-wine vinegar, Chinese five-spice, minced ginger and garlic and some cranberry sauce if you like; add enough water to form a thin sauce. Cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, then stir in a pound of shredded turkey and heat through. Serve on toasted hamburger buns or rolls with some shredded cabbage, sliced scallions, or cilantro.
Turkey Carnitas Tacos
Spread shredded turkey in a single layer on a baking sheet (it’s okay if the pieces aren’t super small; include some skin if you can). Toss with any neutral oil, salt, cumin, coriander and/or chili powder. Broil until the edges begin to sizzle and crisp, a few minutes; serve with corn tortillas and the usual taco garnishes.
Arroz con Pavo
Cook sliced onion in olive oil until soft. Stir in short-grain white rice and a pinch of saffron (optional; also optional: cumin and pimento). Nestle turkey into the rice (if you have bone-in pieces, use those). Add chicken or turkey stock to cover by an inch and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. Garnish: parsley and lemon wedges.
STUFFING
Eggs Baked in Stuffing
Pack a layer of stuffing into the bottom of a well-greased baking dish or ramekins. (If you have time for a layer of caramelized onions or sautéed mushrooms, even better.) Make indentations and crack eggs into them; sprinkle with grated Parmesan or fontina cheese and bake at 375 until the eggs are just set, 10-15 minutes.