The republic is in grave danger. But, fortunately, there is hope. (And no, I’m not talking about this month’s presidential election, because I’m not sure there’s any hope for us with that one).
I’m referring to the fourth Friday of the month, when Americans will walk into their kitchens and discover the leftovers from the 25 pounds of turkey the average family of five served on Thanksgiving (based on estimates from the National Turkey Federation that per capita consumption in the U.S. is 17 pounds annually, that 30 percent of that total comes on Thanksgiving, and that 90 percent of us eat turkey at Thanksgiving).
Why the danger, you ask? Because leftover turkey, is, well, leftover turkey. And once it has been microwaved and sandwiched and saladed and then microwaved and sandwiched and saladed again, husbands will be eyeing their wives warily, wives will be sick of being eyed warily, and the kids will be looking for ways to use leftover turkey that involves anything other than eating it. With the divorce rate at 50 percent, who needs any more pressure on the nuclear family?
Now, I’m more than happy to use my leftover turkey in Julia Child’s hash recipe, which is a miracle of Thanksgiving leftover efficiency, since it can also incorporate any spare stuffing, vegetables, and gravy. But, though it’s not difficult to make, it is time consuming. And, as has been pointed out to me many times, not everyone spends as much time at home as I do. They actually have to leave the house to go work or attend meetings or some such foolishness, and can’t walk into the kitchen at five o’clock to start dicing and chopping.
So, as a public service, I tracked down of one of the world’s great leftover turkey experts, who just happens to live near Tietze Park. He is Steven Pilat, a chef instructor at the Art Institute of Dallas’ culinary school, who earned his bones (I told you leftover turkey was dangerous) by helping his father cook Thanksgiving turkeys as a boy growing up in North Carolina, enhanced that with a degree from the renowned Culinary Institute of America in upstate New York, and practices what he preaches in October and November by teaching cooking classes at local kitchen supply stores.
“I don’t think people are as intimidated by the leftover turkey as they are by the idea of getting into their kitchens,” says Pilat. “That’s why they end up microwaving the turkey with some gravy on top until they can’t eat any more. But there’s a ton of stuff you can do with it. The idea is to make it fun.”
In fact, Pilat’s three favorite leftover recipes can be done easily, often in a matter of minutes. Or, the adventurous can take them to the next level. Consider the following:
• Turkey pot pie. Forget about making a pie crust. Forget about making a sauce. Take some leftover turkey and vegetables, plop them into a pie plate, and put biscuits made from biscuit mix on the top. Since everything save the biscuits are already cooked, once the biscuits brown (follow the package directions), you have dinner. Or, says Pilat, you can go English and use mashed potatoes instead of biscuits to make a Shepherd’s Pie.
• Turkey noodle soup. Go to cupboard. Take out can of chicken stock and package of noodles. Add turkey and leftover vegetables to the stock and noodles in the pot. Serve dinner. For a twist, he says, buy some Japanese soba noodles and really make your family sit up and take notice.
• Turkey frittata. This is an omelet that doesn’t involve any flipping or swishing. Beat eggs, mix them with turkey and assorted vegetables in a skillet, and cover and cook over medium heat until the frittata sets. Slice and serve. If you want to live dangerously, you can add cheese and finish the frittata under the broiler.
And, says Pilat, the frittata goes wonderfully with a roasted red pepper aioli, which is a French-style mayonnaise with lots of garlic. I wonder if I could serve that with my hash.
