DEBORAH CROMBIE: We all hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! But now it's time for THE RECKONING! What to do with the leftover turkey and the turkey carcass? Especially if you had to buy more turkey than you needed. But never fear, Jungle Red is here to help.
As promised, we have Hank's Turkey Tetrazzini recipe, and as a bonus, my friend Franny's Turkey Carcass Soup. That doesn't sound very appealing, but I have made this and I promise you it's delicious. It's almost worth cooking a turkey just to make it!
HANK'S TURKEY TETRAZZINI
HANK: This is so delicious and decadent, we look forward to this just as much as our holiday turkey! Read the recipe all the way through before you start because its success depends on doing several things at the same time--and having the ingredients prepped and the utensils ready to go.
And it’s perfect for post-Thanksgiving, because the main ingredient is leftover turkey!
It sounds a little more complicated than it actually is, and the first time I made it I burst out laughing--it looked like I had used every pan I owned. Now I've made it so often I don't even need the recipe anymore!
You can use more or less pasta and mushrooms and turkey--it doesn't really matter. An added bonus--your kitchen will smell fantastic while this is cooking.
This serves about 6-8 people-- and reheats beautifully.
INGREDIENTS:
*1 pound mushrooms
*1/4 to ½ pound spaghetti or macaroni
*two or three cups shredded cooked turkey (leftover from your holiday turkey!)
*3 Tablespoons butter
*3 Tablespoons flour
*2 cups chicken broth
*1 cup heated whipping cream (fat-free half and half will also work)
*3 Tablespoons dry white wine
*salt and pepper
* grated Parmesan cheese.
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 375.
Slice and saute' mushrooms in butter and chopped garlic...keep warm, while at the same time you
Cook
*1/4 to ½ pound spaghetti or macaroni
While this is cooking,
Take the leftover meat from your holiday turkey--shred it so you have
*two or three cups shredded turkey
(I like just using white meat--but it works with dark too)
Set aside in a bowl large enough to allow you to add to it.
Okay, I know this sounds complicated, but at the same time you're going to make a sauce:
Melt
*3 Tablespoons butter
Sprinkle with
*3 Tablespoons flour
Stir to make a paste, then add
*2 cups chicken broth
Stir and allow to thicken...this will take about 15 minutes. Be patient.
Then to that mixture, stir in
*1 cup heated whipping cream (fat-free half and half will also work)
*3 Tablespoons dry white wine
*salt and pepper
It can simmer while you:
**Drain the pasta, put it back into the pan and mix in the sauteed mushrooms.
Add one half of the sauce to this mixture.
**Add the other half of the sauce to the bowl of shredded turkey.
**Put the pasta and mushroom mixture in a greased baking dish. Make a hole in the center, and
**put the turkey/sauce mixture in the middle.
**Sprinkle the top with grated Parmesan cheese.
Bake till lightly browned.
HANK: A salad, white wine, crusty bread. Then the leftover pumpkin pie. YUM.
DEBS: And now for Franny's TURKEY AND WILD RICE SOUP (that sounds better, doesn't it?)
Turkey carcass- I break mine in half to fit in my soup pot 3/4-1 C leftover dressing - if turkey wasn’t stuffed. This adds fabulous flavor and broth will be strained later
1 cup Wild rice and/or wild rice brown rice mix. Cook this ahead in broth according to rice instructions.
Matchstick cut zucchini and carrots - around 1-1and1/2 C ea
Sliced mushrooms- 1/2 lb
1-2 bunches sliced green onions on diagonal
Simmer carcass with stuffing in water and 1 carton chicken or turkey broth to cover for 1 - 1to 1/2 hours. Cool and strain.
Put strained broth back into soup pot. Pick out any meat you want off of carcass leavings to add back into soup. Or add some leftover shreds of turkey .
Bring to full simmer and add all veggies except green onions. Simmer 20 min or so ..
Gently add rice. Don’t dump in. I spoon in carefully. No boiling or will cloud!
Add green onions. Low heat for another 15 min or so. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. I use a good amount of black pepper or to taste.❤️ Voila!
DEBS: Readers, if you have any great suggestions for leftover turkey, please share in the comments!
