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What’s Cookin’? - Smithtown

By Nancy Vallarella

Turkey’s Encore Appearance

That plump breasted Thanksgiving turkey with glistening crisp skin now sits in the refrigerator, a shell of its former self. It is hard to find the passion for food so soon after Thanksgiving but meals must be prepared. People will once again resume eating.

If you are just plum turkeyed out, the good news is many leftover turkey recipes lend well to freezing. If you are concerned about refreezing a cooked frozen turkey… don’t be. As long as the turkey was thawed and cooked properly, it is fine to refreeze that turkey. Leftover turkey recipes that incorporate liquids work really well when frozen. Having a main course or homemade soup on hand for a cold rainy or snowy night is like having gold in your freezer.

Refrigerated leftover turkey is good for 3 – 4 day. Start reinventing now!

Turkey Swiss PaniniRee Drummond a.k.a.”The Pioneer Women” lists leftover turkey recipes on her blog thepioneerwomen.com. From old school Turkey Pot Pie and Turkey Tetrazzini to more current items like Turkey Swiss Panini and Turkey Spring Rolls, Ree walks you through.

Turkey - Kale SoupThe leftover turkey recipe I am most excited about comes from Alice Waters’, The Art of Simple Food. Turkey Soup with Kale is a simple union of lean protein and this year’s super food. The recipe can be found on Smithtown Matters Food Page.

If you haven’t gotten on the kale train to date, jump on board. Kale is the reigning vegetable of 2013. This queen of cruciferous vegetable comes in many varieties. Green, blue white, rainbow, curly, Tuscan, Russian, the list continues. Recipes in the cookbook, Fifty Shades of Kale include Kale Chocolate Chip Cookies and Kale Mojitos. The author Drew Ramsey, a psychiatrist declares, “People who start incorporating kale into their life feel happier and healthier and lighter. There is nothing sexier than a sharp brain on top of a lean body. And kale really delivers that more than any other vegetable on the planet.”

Sweet Potato Walnut Streusel Biscuits If you have turkey dinner sides to reinvent, take a look at Elegant Eating’s facebook page for wonderful Sweet Potato Walnut Streusel Biscuits. Also on facebook, What’s Cookin’? Smithtown has a great solution for leftover mashed potatoes that can be frozen in portion controlled servings.

Turkey Soup with Kale by Chef Alice Waters Makes 3 quarts

Ingredients

1 roasted turkey carcass
1 bunch kale, leaves torn from the stems and chopped coarse

For Stock:
1/2 onion, peeled
1/2 carrot, peeled
1/2 stalk celery
6 sprigs thyme
3 sprigs parsley
1 bay leaf
3 quarts water

For Soup:
2 tablespoons olive oil
Add and cook, over medium heat, until very tender:
1 1/2 onions, peeled and diced
1 1/2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 1/2 stalks celery, diced
1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Pick all the meat from 1 roasted turkey carcass
Coarsely chop and set aside. Break up the carcass and put in large stockpot with the Stock Ingredients .

Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, skim well, and cook for 2 hours. Meanwhile, heat,all of the Soup Ingredients in a large soup pot.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add Kale.

Cook until tender, about 5 to 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. Place a colander over the pot of diced vegetables and strain the turkey stock directly into the soup pot. Add the turkey meat and kale, taste for seasoning and serve hot.

Variations:
• Sautéed mushrooms (porcini are my favorite) added just before serving give a luxurious flavor and texture to this humble soup.
• Some of the kale can be sautéed with garlic and hot pepper and floated atop the soup on a slice of toasted bread.
• Add cooked rice or pasta just before serving.
• Fry a little diced pancetta in the soup pot before adding the diced vegetables