Wok & Roll by Peter Kwong, (Frederic) Inter-County Leader
» Download this column as a Word document
Thanksgiving is long gone; so, are you folks ready for Christmas? Oh my, the stores have been playing Christmas music even before Thanksgiving, and I don’t know how much longer I can handle listening to “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.” Goodness, I’ll be humming the song in my dreams, and we still have a few more weeks of that.
If you still have leftover turkey from Thanksgiving and are tired of eating turkey sandwiches, I hope you have tried my turkey fried rice recipe. And if you still have more leftover turkey, maybe be less ambitious next year and get a smaller turkey.
It’s easy to say, but when the stores offer turkeys at 87 cents a pound — and they normally charge $1.30 a pound — what to do? Well, easy for me to say, but I’m guilty just like the rest. When you spend all that time cooking the turkey, why not cook a bigger one? It’s the same amount of work, right? Well, good thinking, but what are you going to do with all those leftovers? Have no fear, here are two more recipes that will help you get rid of all those leftovers next time.
I’ve been making turkey in creamy curry sauce for years, and it is actually one of my family’s favorites; also, it is easy and simple to make. So, here it goes.
TURKEY WITH CREAMY CURRY SAUCE
(feeds 4-6)
Ingredients
- 4 cups turkey
- 1 large onion
- 1 can coconut cream
- 1 cup sour cream or heavy cream
- 1 tbsp curry powder
- 2 cups potatoes
- 3 cubes chicken bouillon
Method
Cut the turkey, onion and potatoes in large cubes and set aside.
In a large slow cooker, add in all the ingredients. Set the slow cooker on low heat and let cook for 6-8 hours.
This is a mild version, add more curry powder or a bit of chili powder if you like it spicy. And add salt and pepper to your taste. I like my food hot and spicy, but the family doesn’t, so I adjust my flavor profile. Otherwise, I’ll be cooking for myself if no one will eat it. As I said before, the fun and joy of cooking is to share.
This recipe is so easy, you could put all the ingredients together in the evening, turn the slow cooker on low, and go to bed. You might wake up in the middle of the night smelling the unique aroma from the curry, but in the morning, you’ll have dinner ready and you’re the hero.
You can serve the creamy turkey over rice, pasta or toast.
Enjoy!
TURKEY AND VEGETABLE SOUP
After a turkey is carved, most folks would just discard the carcass, thinking that there is no more meat left. But I learned something from a chef years ago, and what a wonderful idea it is. Just put the carcass in a slow cooker (with soup stock) before you go to bed, and in the next morning all the leftover meat would come out. So, what to do then with all those tiny morsels? I would make burritos or enchiladas with them. Instead of just making sandwiches, now you have a variety of delicious snacks.
And what to do with the soup stock after you discard the turkey carcass? First, you will find a layer of turkey grease floating on top of the soup stock. Don’t panic, and don’t spend a lot of time trying to skim it. There are two easy ways to separate it from your stock.
One, take the whole pot out and leave it on the porch for a few hours (I’m talking in wintertime, as it won’t work in summer). The grease will harden and separate from the stock; just spoon it out and you now have a clean and tasty stock.
Or, put a piece of bread on top of your stock, the bread will absorb all the grease; simply discard the bread when you’re done. Add another piece if necessary. Also, a piece of paper towel can do the same trick.
So, with a tasty stock, all you have to do is add your favorite vegetables. My favorite is adding a combination of onions, celery, potatoes, carrots and maybe some Brussels sprouts. Don’t forget to season it to your liking. Again, cook it in a slow cooker on low heat for 6 to 8 hours, or overnight.
A simple meal at its best. Enjoy!
