Turkey Gumbo

This recipe from the New Orleans Junior League's Plantation Cookbook is really amazing. I love the green "trinity" of just green onion and celery. Brought to me by my mother in law, Betsy, as a suggested Thanksgiving leftover meal. She also generously supplied the Louisiana andouille. It is the best use of the leftover turkey carcass and meat, and has become our post-Thanksgiving tradition. 

INGRIDIENTS 

1 turkey carcass
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons bacon grease
1 cup chopped green onions
1 cup chopped celery
2-3 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 cup chopped hot, smoked sausage, preferably andouille
3 cups turkey meat, shredded from carcass
Salt to taste (1 teaspoon)
Pepper to taste
1 pint oysters and liquid
1 tablespoon gumbo file
2 cups cooked rice 

In a soup kettle, cover turkey carcass with at least 8 cups of water and boil about 1 hour, or until meat is easily removed from the bone. Remove carcass and pick meat off of bone. Strain and reserve 6 cups of turkey broth. To make roux, brown flour in bacon grease until mixture is a rich dark brown. Add onions, celery, and parsley; sauté 5 minutes. Slowly add broth to roux; add bay leaves, thyme, sausage, and turkey meat. Salt and pepper to taste and cook over low heat 1-1/2 hours*, adding oysters for last 5 minutes of cooking. Add file just before serving, being careful not to let mixture boil once it has been added. Remove bay leaves and serve over hot rice. If planning to freeze, do not add oysters and file until reheating to serve. 

This picture shows the roux just after the vegetables were added to give you an idea of the color you are trying to reach. 

SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
Serve over rice and with leftover Thanksgiving sweet potato biscuits and braised escarole.
-OR-
Serve over or baked sweet potatoes and with crusty French bread and hearty kale salad with lemon vinaigrette. 

NOTES: 

• Help yourself by chopping green onions, celery and parsley before Thanksgiving when you chop those vegetables for Thanksgiving stuffing and store in sealed plastic bags in fridge. 
• If you have fresh broth, you can make the gumbo without the turkey meat and oysters and put in the freezer a few weeks before Thanksgiving. Then defrost and add the turkey and oysters when you reheat the gumbo. 
• Use cassava flour to make a gluten free roux; warning, it darkens in about 10-12 minutes, much faster than all purpose flour. 

Order your andouille sausage from Louisiana if you can. But a polish kielbasa will also work in a pinch. Good sources: 

• Louisiana Crawfish Company
• Cajun Grocer

The original, well-used recipe. 

Enchiladas Verdes: A selection of recipes

Enchiladas Verdes are the ultimate comfort food, and to me, the easiest Mexican dish to create at home. Use leftover or rotisserie chicken, or even better: smoked chicken picked up from your favorite BBQ joint, or turkey from Thanksgiving.  

I use the recipes below as a starting point, sometimes leaving out an ingredient (like substitute jalepenos for serannos) if I do not have it on hand. In short, feel free to free-lance as these recipes are very forgiving. 

Pati Jinich's Enchiladas Suizas (creamy green enchiladas)

Pati Jinich's Enchiladas Verdes

Sam Sifton's Enchiladas Verdes NYT

Amanda Hesser's Enchiladas Verdes, NYT

Homesick Texan's Carnitas or Chicken Enchiladas Verdes

NOTES

• Use only corn tortillas; never, ever use flour. 
• If feeling lazy make an enchiladas verdes "lasagna" by layering tortillas between sauce, chicken, and cheese in the same order as you would a lasagna. You still must "run" the corn tortillas through hot oil for 20 seconds so they don't get soggy. 
• Use Cotija, Añejo, or Queso Fresco for a more authentic Mexican taste. Also, for those avoiding cow's milk, Añejo is frequently made from goat cheese. All three are crumbly like feta and do not really melt but add a wonderful "accent" flavor, I think. Oaxaca is a melting Mexican cheese and also an alternative.  
• For a creamier, more American version of enchiladas, and for ease (as you likely have on hand) use Monterrey Jack, Cheddar, Muenster, or the "Mexican Blend" pre-shredded cheese. 
• Enchiladas verdes is part of my regular repertoire and to make things easier on myself I use canned tomatillos most of the time. I try to keep them on hand. And, yes, I also use canned verde sauce. Siete makes a nice version free of junky ingredients. However, Fresh is Best! 

SERVING SUGGESTIONS 

• Accompaniments: Pickled jalapeños, sour cream if you don't put on top, fresh cilantro, sliced radishes, pickled red onion slices, cubed avocado.  
• Refried black beans; canned work well; I prefer Amy's or Eden brands, which use BPA-free lined cans. 
• Cole slaw with cumin, lime or plain vinaigrette. Be sure and shred the cabbage very finely; a mandolin works best. 
• Pickled carrots.
• Red or green rice. OR, if it is a midweek meal, use a boxed red, green or yellow rice or combination beans and rice box. Choose a quality brand like Lundberg's, or order from Thrive Market. 
• Another option for a quick weeknight meal is to bake sliced chicken breasts or thighs in the green sauce, and serve with warm corn tortillas, sour cream and pickled jalapeños. 

Turkey Gumbo: The Plantation Cookbook

This recipe from the New Orleans Junior League's Plantation Cookbook is the best. The absolute best post Thanksgiving meal. 

INGRIDIENTS 

1 turkey carcass
4 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons bacon grease
1 cup chopped green onions
1 cup chopped celery
2-3 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 cup chopped hot, smoked sausage, preferably andouille
3 cups turkey meat, shredded from carcass
Salt to taste (1 teaspoon)
Pepper to taste
1 pint oysters and liquid
1 tablespoon gumbo file
2 cups cooked rice

In a soup kettle, cover turkey carcass with at least 8 cups of water and boil about 1 hour, or until meat is easily removed from the bone. Remove carcass and pick meat off of bone. Strain and reserve 6 cups of turkey broth. To make roux, brown flour in bacon grease until mixture is a rich dark brown. Add onions, celery, and parsley; sauté 5 minutes. Slowly add broth to roux; add bay leaves, thyme, sausage, and turkey meat. Salt and pepper to taste and cook over low heat 1-1/2 hours*, adding oysters for last 5 minutes of cooking. Add file just before serving, being careful not to let mixture boil once it has been added. Remove bay leaves and serve over hot rice. If planning to freeze, do not add oysters and file until reheating to serve.
The picture above picture shows the roux just after the vegetables were added to give you an idea of the color you are trying to reach.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS:
Serve over rice and with leftover Thanksgiving sweet potato biscuits and braised escarole.
-OR-
Serve over or baked sweet potatoes and with crusty French bread and hearty kale salad with lemon vinaigrette.
NOTES: 

• Help yourself by chopping green onions, celery and parsley before Thanksgiving when you chop those vegetables for Thanksgiving stuffing and store in sealed plastic bags in fridge. 
• If you have fresh broth, you can make the gumbo without the turkey meat and oysters and put in the freezer a few weeks before Thanksgiving. Then defrost and add the turkey and oysters when you reheat the gumbo. 
• Use cassava flour to make a gluten free roux; warning, it darkens in about 10-12 minutes, much faster than all purpose flour. 
• Order your andouille sausage from Louisiana if you can. But a polish kielbasa will also work in a pinch. Good sources: 
• Louisiana Crawfish Company
• Cajun Grocer

Turkey Hash

Nice winter comfort food with leftover turkey or chicken. 

Yield: 4 main-dish servings

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp. butter or margarine

1 small onion

3 tbsp. all-purpose flour

2 c. milk

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ground black pepper

8 oz. cooked turkey or chicken

2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

PREP 

In 3-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly,1 minute. With wire whisk, gradually whisk in milk, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, whisking. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes.

Stir turkey into sauce and heat through. Stir in parsley and serve. 

SERVING SUGGESTIONS

Serve over rice, mashed potatoes, on top of baked sweet potato, or with leftover Thanksgiving Sweet Potato Biscuits. 

NOTES 

This recipe is a good starting point for leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Add additional cooked vegetables such as peas, cubed potatoes or sweet potatoes, chopped carrots. Don't add beets unless you want red hash. 

Use cassava flour for gluten free version. 

Peas and Turnips in Cream

This recipe, adapted from The Best From Helen Corbitt's Kitchens. Helen Corbitt was a chef in Texas and served at the Houston Country Club, the Driscoll Hotel in Austin, and as director of food service for Neiman Marcus. I look to this book for simple, straightforward recipes; this is one good example. I served this last Christmas and used the leftovers the following day to make a fabulous turkey hash, served over white rice.

Peas and Turnips in Cream

1-1/2 cups chopped turnips, peeled and 1/4" dice (1 large or six small)

2 tablespoons minced onion

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 cup whipping cream

1 cup fresh or frozen green peas

salt and pepper

chopped parsley

Blanch the turnips and peas in boiling water until tender (turnips five minutes; add peas and cook 3-5 minutes more). Drain. Saute the onion with the butter and sugar for one minute. Add turnips and reheat. Add cream and peas and simmer until the cream is reduced. Add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with parsley.

NOTES:

Doubles/triples easily.

Serve as accompaniment to roast chicken. Use leftovers over white rice for a fabulous meal.

Wonderful Thanksgiving or Christmas side. 

Use leftovers to make a turkey or chicken hash:

Stir 1 cup chopped onion/green pepper/celery (or just onion) in 3 tbsp. melted butter. Add 1-2 tablespoon flour and stir 2-3 minutes. Add 2 cups chopped turkey/chicken, 1 cup chopped potatoes and/or carrots, cooked. Add leftover peas/cream (1-2 cups). Add up to 1 cup broth. Salt and pepper to taste; add herbs if you like such as thyme and parsley.