Three ways to enjoy your leftover turkey

Wondering what to do with all that turkey that’s leftover from Thanksgiving or Christmas? We share three delicious turkey recipes to enjoy your turkey on Boxing Day and beyond.

Savoury morning after Turkey turnovers

Makes 12 turnovers

Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
• 2 cups leftover mashed potatoes or pumpkin
• 2 cups leftover stuffing
• 2 cups leftover turkey, chopped or shredded
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Coriander for garnish
• Optional: tzatziki yoghurt dip to accompany turnovers

Note: Feel free to use any other leftover meat or veggies in this recipe!

Instructions:

1. Lightly beat eggs, onions, potatoes, stuffing and turkey, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
2. Heat butter and oil in a large skillet at medium heat.
3. Scoop ½ cup of the mixture into the pan, and gently press and turn using a spatula. Fry on each side for about three minutes until golden brown.
4. Repeat with the remaining mixture.
5. Drain on paper towel, then serve warm.

Turkey Thai curry

Makes six servings

Ingredients for green curry paste:

• 3 large, fresh green chillies, seeds removed and roughly chopped
• Optional: 2 small green or red chilli padi (this will give it a spicy kick, so adjust according to taste)
• 4 whole spring onions, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 4 stems of fresh lemongrass (white part only), chopped
• 1 cup fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 teaspoons prawn paste (can substitute with Marmite or Vegemite for seafood allergies)
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt

Note: The curry paste can be made up to one week ahead if stored in an airtight container, and can be refrigerated or frozen for four months.

Additional ingredients:

• 750g shredded leftover Christmas turkey
• 250g snow peas, left whole
• 500ml coconut cream or milk (low-fat coconut milk recommended)
• ½ cup coriander, stems and leaves roughly torn
• 1 teaspoon salt (add more if needed)

Note: Other veggies such as green beans, eggplant, potato, carrot and cauliflower can be added in, too!

Instructions:

1. Blend or process green curry paste ingredients until smooth.
2. Stir green curry paste in pot until fragrant for about one to two minutes.
3. Add snow peas and cook for one to two minutes, stirring continuously; don’t let it burn!
4. Stir in coconut cream and bring to a boil; then let it simmer (uncovered) for one minute or until thickened.
5. Add turkey and cook for five minutes with lid on until it’s heated through.
6. Taste, and add more salt only if necessary.
7. Garnish with coriander sprigs.
8. Serve with rice.

Turkey Cranberry Borek (Pie)

Makes six to eight servings

Ingredients:

• 1 onion, sliced
• Olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• ½ to 1 teaspoon chilli flakes, or just enough to taste (or use fresh chilli if you prefer)
• 2 teaspoons ras el hanout (a North African spice mix)
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• Black pepper
• 650g cooked turkey, shredded (or 800g fresh turkey breast fillet, chopped into cubes)
• 50g dried apricots, coarsely chopped
• 50g dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
• 50g pistachios, coarsely chopped
• 50g ground almonds
• 25g flaked almonds
• 300ml boiling water
• 2 tablespoons fresh coriander
• 50g melted butter
• 8 sheets filo pastry
• Optional: a few fresh cranberries for decoration

You will also need:

• A deep-sided cake tin, ideally spring loaded
• A pastry brush

Instructions for filling:

1. Fry olive oil and onion in a deep frying pan for five minutes until softened, but not browned.
2. Add the garlic, chilli, black pepper, cinnamon and ras el hanout, and fry for an additional minute; add the cooked, shredded turkey, apricots, cranberries, pistachios, ground almonds and water, and stir thoroughly. Note: If your turkey isn’t cooked, simply pan fry the cubed fresh turkey breast for about 5 minutes, or until cooked through, then shred and continue with step #2.
3. Simmer gently for about three minutes until the sauce thickens, then turn off the heat.

Instructions for pie:

1. Preheat oven to 180°C.
2. Brush the tin with melted butter and lay the first sheet of filo in the dish so that it covers the base and some of the side, with the rest hanging over the sides. Brush more melted butter over the parts of the pastry that are touching the tin, and lay another sheet of filo half overlapping the first one, but covering the entire base. Then, continue around the tin until the base is covered with seven layers of filo and all of the sides are covered (and you have lots of pastry flopping over the sides with melted butter between each layer!). Save one sheet of filo for the top.
3. Pour all filling inside the pie, then fold the hanging flaps back in, scrunching the filo as you do so. Brush with melted butter, then take the last sheet of filo, scrunch it up and place on top. Give the top a really good brush of butter, then place your pie in the preheated oven for 10 minutes.
4. Remove the pie from the oven and scatter with flaked almonds. Return the pie to the oven for an additional 10 minutes, or until the pastry is crisp and nicely browned on top.
5. Serve with salad or as part of a Boxing Day spread.

Recipes courtesy of Expat Kitchen.

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