The perfect dish for all your Thanksgiving leftovers
You have leftover turkey, roasted vegetables, and cornbread??
My friends. I hope you all have been enjoying what I’m doing at The Chef’s List…I really love hearing about the recipes that you cook at home, the dishes you share with friends, the restaurants you like to go to.
Today, at least in the US, I know a lot of us are starting to think about what’s coming in just over a week…the biggest eating day of the year. It’s one of my favorite American holidays because it’s a time for food, family, community, and togetherness—and some families even need to literally build longer tables to fit everyone around them!
This year, I am confident that you have a handle on the turkey, the stuffing, the cranberry sauce, the mac and cheese. Do any of you remember last year when I shared my favorite recipe for espinacas a la catalana, the very amazing spinach dish with dried fruits and nuts that would make a great, nutritious (vegan!) side dish for your table this year?
Well this year, let’s think about leftovers. I know a lot of people who love chicken pot pie, it’s an American classic. And it’s easy enough to substitute in some turkey for the chicken, since I’m sure you’ll have a lot of meat after the big day.
But the topping is always a question…do you roll out a sheet of puff pastry? Make a pastry crust? Make biscuits (like our version in the World Central Kitchen cookbook?)
Or my friends…do you just cube or crumble up some of the leftover cornbread, toss it in butter and herbs, put it on top of your filling, and bake it?
That might be my plan this year! The recipe below has a great cornbread subrecipe, and the vegetables in the filling are classic pot pie veg (peas, carrots, pearl onions), but there’s no reason you can’t use leftovers for both. Take whatever cornbread didn’t get eaten on Thanksgiving for the topping (make sure to toss it with the herbed butter!), and instead of the pea-carrot-onion trinity, use a few cups of leftover roasted vegetables. I’m very sure it will be amazing!
So friends…if you’re worrying about a dry turkey, I can’t help you (well, I can remind you to brine your turkey!). But if you’re worried about an amazing dinner the day after Thanksgiving…here you go!
Turkey Pot Pie Leftovers a la José Andrés