Thanksgiving Leftovers

Kathy Gunst’s Greek-Style Turkey-Lemon-Rice Soup

Whenever I roast a turkey I like to use the leftovers to create this deeply comforting soup. A light turkey broth (made from the carcass; see recipe), or canned chicken broth is simmered with cooked white rice, chunks of tender turkey, egg yolks, and lots of fresh lemon juice, parsley, and thyme. The rice causes the soup to thicken and the yolks give it a creamy texture.

About 8 cups turkey broth (see recipe), or low-sodium canned chicken broth
½ cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 cups cooked white rice, at room temperature
2 cups cubed cooked turkey
2 large egg yolks
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 2 lemons (about ½ cup)
1 lemon, preferably organic, cut into paper thin slices, seeds removed

Place the turkey broth in a large pot and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add half of the parsley and half of the thyme. Add the rice to the soup, making sure to break up any clumps. Add the turkey and simmer over very low heat.

In a small bowl whisk the egg yolks with salt and pepper. Add about ½ cup of the hot broth to the bowl and whisk with the yolks. Pour the yolks back into the pot and whisk until fully incorporated. Add the lemon juice and the remaining herbs and season to taste. It is important that you don’t let the soup boil; if it does the egg yolk will curdle. You can whisk the soup gently to smooth it out if the egg begins to curdle, but past a certain point there’s not much you can do. Add the lemon slices and heat very gently for about 5 minutes. The longer the soup sits the thicker it will become; add more broth if necessary. Serves 6 to 8.

From Stonewall Kitchen Favorites by Jonathan King, Jim Stott and Kathy Gunst (Clarkson Potter)

Thanksgiving “Leftover” Frittata

A frittata, an omelette-like egg dish which is baked in a hot oven until it puffs up like a soufflé (it actually looks a lot like Yorkshire Pudding), is an ideal way to use up leftover holiday vegetables, onions, potatoes, turkey or chicken. Serve with toast or crusty bread for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. A Winter Salad of mixed greens, persimmon slices, and Pomegranate seeds would be delicious.

Serves 3 to 6.

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green sections
About 2 to 3 cups leftover vegetables, potatoes, or turkey, or preferably a combination of all three, coarsely or finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried
¼ teaspoon salt
Generous grinding black pepper
6 large eggs
1 tablespoon heavy cream, milk, or water
2 tablespoons minced chives
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
In a large, heavy, ovenproof skillet (a 10-inch cast iron one is ideal) heat the oil over medium heat. Add the scallions and cook for 1 minute. Add the chopped leftovers, the thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, 5 minutes or until the leftovers are hot.

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs with the cream, chives, salt, and pepper until frothy. Add the eggs to the skillet and cook for 1 minute, and then sprinkle with the cheese. Place on the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake for about 14 to 16 minutes, or until puffed up. The frittata can be served hot from the oven, or at room temperature.

Adapted from: Stonewall Kitchen Favorites by Jonathan King, Jim Stott and Kathy Gunst (Clarkson Potter)

Don’t Throw Away That Carcass! Making a Simple, Rich Poultry Broth

After you’ve roasted a turkey or chicken and removed the meat from the bones, don’t throw away the carcass because there is still a lot of flavor leftover: use it to make a richly flavored simple broth. Turkey broth has a more pronounced flavor than most chicken broths and can be used in soups, stews, or virtually any dish calling for chicken broth.

You can make the broth with any size poultry carcass, adding enough water to cover the entire carcass. For a smaller carcass, use the lower measurement when there’s a range in the ingredients list, since you’ll be starting out with less water to flavor. The broth can be covered and refrigerated for several days or will keep in the freezer for months.

1 turkey or chicken carcass
1 to 2 carrots, cut into chunks
1 to 2 stalks celery, cut into chunks
1 to 2 large onions, quartered
1 bay leaf
A few sprigs fresh parsley
3 to 6 peppercorns
Salt

Place the carcass in a large stockpot and add the carrot, celery, onion, bay leaf, parsley, peppercorns, and some salt. Add enough water to cover (about 5 cups for a 3-pound chicken carcass and about 12 cups for a 10 to 12 pound turkey carcass), and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for about 1 hour. Taste for seasoning. The broth should be flavorful; if it still tastes weak simmer, uncovered, for another 30 to 45 minutes.

Strain the broth and refrigerate for about 4 days or freeze up to 3 months.
Makes about 5 to 10 cups.

From Stonewall Kitchen Favorites by Jonathan King, Jim Stott and Kathy Gunst (Clarkson Potter)

Mashed Potato Pancakes with Scallions

Serve these savory pancakes for breakfast or brunch with fried eggs or as a side dish.
1 cup leftover mashed potatoes or mashed sweet potatoes, at room temperature
1/3 (one third) cup finely chopped scallions
1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Flour, optional
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
In a bowl mix the leftover mashed potatoes with the scallions, cream, salt and pepper to taste.

Using your hands, form the potato mixture into three-inch cakes. If the mixture is very sticky, lightly coat your hands with flour.

In a medium skillet, heat the butter and oil over moderately high heat. Sauté the cakes about 2 to 4 minutes on each side, until crisp and golden brown and warmed through. Serve hot. Makes about 4 pancakes.

From Leftovers by Kathy Gunst (HarperCollins)