The Culinary Architect: Leftovers are better the second time around

Alexandra Troy

One of the best part of Thanksgiving, is the leftovers! 

I just love to rework ingredients from Thursday and serve them on Friday and Saturday. All my guests agree that the reworked ingredients taste even better the next day.

My favorite recipe is Turkey Bouillon, as it uses all the drippings and ingredients from the Thanksgiving Dinner. 

All you have to do is let them simmer with extra vegetables and you have tasty stock. 

I keep these frozen bouillon cubes on hand for adding to recipes and making quick and easy soups. Once you make these bouillon cubes you will be amazed at how often you will use them in your everyday cooking. 

The open-faced sandwiches are just delicious and rework most of rhe Thanksgiving meal into one yummy open faced sandwich. 

Finally you will be amazed how tasty the underused celery leaves are. 

Just toss the leaves in a light dressing and they become a star salad. You will be glad you did not throw out these tasty morsels and decided to rework the star ingredients of your Thanksgiving meal.

MENU

Serves 4

Turkey Bouillon

Open-face Sweet & Savory

Turkey Melt Pita Sandwiches

Shaved Celery and Parsley 

Salad

Turkey Bouillon 

Left-over turkey carcass, turkey, the drippings and vegetables from cooked turkey (see recipe in The Island Now November 19)

1 onion, peeled and 

sliced into quarters

2 celery stalks, washed 

and sliced into large chunks

1 carrot, cleaned and cut 

into large chunks

2 tblsp. chicken bouillon 

powder

1.  Put all of the ingredients in a crock pot or the electric roaster that you roasted your turkey in.  Add water to cover.  Cook on high for 6-8 hours.

2.  Strain, defat and pour your “liquid gold” into ice cube trays.  Freeze.

3.  Once frozen, remove cubes and place bouillon cubes in a ziploc.  Keep frozen until needed.

Open-face Sweet & Savory

Turkey Melt Pita Sandwiches

2  “no pocket” pitas

1 cup left-over cranberry 

sauce

1 apple, thinly sliced

12-16 oz. left-over turkey 

breast

Grated cheese, i.e. cheddar, 

parmesan or cheese of choice

1.  Take pitas and smear with cranberry sauce.  Top with thinly sliced apples, then turkey.

2.  Grate cheese on top and place in preheated 400 degree oven and cook until cheese is melted and bubbly.  Cut in half and serve.

Shaved Celery and 

Parsley Salad

Dressing

2 pieces  of lemon rind

1 tblsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp honey

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/8 tsp  black pepper, ground

1 garlic clove

2 tbsp olive oil

1 anchovy filet

Salad

2 cups thinly sliced celery, 

on the diagonal

1/2 cup  flat leaf parsley

1/2 cup  celery leaves

1/4 cup  parmesan shavings

1.  In a processor, fitted with a steel blade, combine all dressing ingredients.

2.  In a large bowl, add half of the sauce and coat the bowl.  Add all of the salad ingredients and toss.  Drizzle on remaining dressing and continue to toss.  Serve.

Alexandra Troy is owner of Culinary Architect Catering, a 32 year-old Greenvale-based company, specializing in private, corporate and promotional parties.  She lives in Manhasset with her husband and son.

Share this Article