Cold turkey?

Americans celebrated Thanksgiving — a feast that dates back to the arrival of the pilgrims — on November 22. It is an occasion that brings family members and friends together. The menu centres around stuffed turkey.

As with most of us, we tend to cook too much as we don't want anything to run short. It looks terrific on the festive table but then we are faced with mountains of leftovers.

As cooked turkey is versatile and freezes well, it should pose no problem to use later. Remove the meat from the bones and freeze in small packages. Later, you can use these skilfully disguised packets — the date of which no one can guess.

Here are some of my favourite recipes to get you started. But also remember, turkey can be substituted for most chicken dishes.

— Nirmal Khanna is a UAE-based freelance writer

Recipes: Turn the turkey around

Turkey tetrazzini
350g cooked turkey
200g tagliatelle
200g fresh mushrooms
50g butter
500ml turkey or chicken stock
Juice of half lemon
125ml cream
25g flour
Salt and white pepper, mustard to taste
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup breadcrumbs

Cook the noodles in boiling salted water till al dente, drain and rinse in cold water. Keep aside.

Slice and fry the mushrooms in half the butter and add the lemon juice to the pan.

Melt the remaining butter, add the flour and stir over gentle heat for a few minutes. Gradually, add the stock, stirring rapidly so that no lumps form. Cook till the mixture is smooth and thick. Remove from heat, stir in the cream and season to taste.

Add a little hot sauce to the noodles and mushrooms, spoon into a well-buttered baking dish.

Mix the turkey with the remaining sauce and spoon onto the first layer.

Combine the breadcrumbs and cheese, sprinkle on top and bake for about 15 to 20 minutes until it turns slightly brown on top.

Rice and turkey toss
2 cups boiled basmati rice
1/2 to 3/4 cup French dressing (depends on how moist you like your salad)
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
10 black olives, pitted and halved
1/3 cup chopped capsicum
2tbs chopped parsley
Dash of garlic salt
1 cup cooked, cubed turkey
Seasoning (salt, pepper and mustard)

To serve:
Strips of red capsicum to garnish
Iceberg lettuce

Combine the rice with the rest of the ingredients. Line a salad bowl with crisp lettuce, spoon in the salad mixture and garnish with red capsicum.

Note: The rice should be fluffy with the grains separate. Be sure not to overcook.

Turkey quiche
One 9-inch unbaked pie crust (make your own or buy a frozen pie shell)
1 cup cooked, cubed turkey
1 and a 1/2 cup cream
4 eggs
1 tbs chopped parsley
1 tsp cornflour
Salt, pepper and mustard to taste
1/2 cup grated cheese

Spoon the turkey onto the base of the pie shell. Whisk together the rest of the ingredients, pour over the prepared pie shell, cover with foil and bake in an oven for ten minutes.

Lower heat and bake till almost done. Uncover, sprinkle a little more grated cheese and bake till completely set.
Serve at room temperature.

Turkey hotpot
600g cooked turkey meat
200g cooked beans
2 tbs oil
225g carrots, peeled and chopped
2 large onions, peeled and quartered
225g broccoli, broken into florets
450ml chicken stock
2tbs tomato puree
50g French beans, chopped and parboiled
2 tbs chopped chives
2 tbs cornflour
2 tbs cream (or low-fat yoghurt)
Chopped parsley to garnish

Cut the turkey meat into small cubes. Heat the oil and sauté the onions and carrots for a few minutes. Drain and place in a deep casserole dish. Add the broccoli, beans and turkey.

Combine the stock and tomato puree and pour in and season accordingly.

Cook in a preheated oven for 30 minutes. Add the French beans and chives and cook for a further 15 minutes.

Dissolve the cornflour in a little water and stir it in. Continue to cook for ten minutes till slightly thick.

Add the cream (or yoghurt) and garnish before serving.

Note: If you want a thicker consistency, add extra cornflour. You can change the vegetables to suit your family's preferences.