Gourmet
Onion Anchovy Galette
A take on the Provençal tart known as pissaladiére, this galette can be served as an hors d'oeuvre or, with a salad, as a light lunch. It gets fullness of flavor from a tangle of sweet caramelized onions that tops a smear of tomato paste enlivened with garlic and anchovies (left over from Mediterranean Eggplant Relish). A flaky homemade pastry crust ups the richness even more.
Tuscan Turkey Soupy Noodles
Turkey soup may be the end of the line for turkey leftovers, but it doesn't have to be boring and predictable. The hearty essence of the roasted holiday bird is concentrated into a deeply satisfying broth, thick with noodles and laced with garlic, rosemary, and tomatoes. This is a guaranteed crowd pleaser whether it's just the family or a last minute gathering of friends. And thanks to the ready availability of turkey wings, executive food editor Kemp M. Minifie bets you won't want to wait until next Thanksgiving to make it again.
Chicken and Celery Pot Stickers
Traditional pot stickers, complete with fresh dough and the requisite number of pleats, are best saved for a special occasion. This version, made with store–bought wonton wrappers, is easy enough for a weeknight meal. A flavorful filling of ground chicken and celery (left over from Sage Stuffing) is seasoned with sesame oil and soy sauce and enclosed within the simply folded wonton—no pleats involved. We do cook the pot stickers the conventional way, by first frying them and then steaming them until the water evaporates and the bottoms are crisp and golden. It is imperative to use dark chicken meat (from legs and thighs) because it doesn't dry out the way leaner white meat can.
Chewy Nut and Cereal Bars
Food editor Maggie Ruggiero touts these amber bars as the love child of rice krispie treats and those sesame candies sold at natural foods stores. They're nutty, both crisp and chewy, and just a bit crumbly—the perfect afternoon snack.
Potato Samosa Phyllo Triangles
Get the irresistible flavor of samosas without all the frying. Phyllo (left over from Roasted Winter Vegetable Baklava ) makes an ingenious wrapper for our take on the popular Indian snacks, although the filling of garam–masala–spiced potatoes and peas is quite traditional. They bake up light and crisp, ready for a dip in chutney or raita. Serve these samosas with a salad for a vegetarian main course, or make smaller ones as appetizers.
Mussels with Garam Masala
With the coconut milk left over from our Sweet–Potato Coconut Purée , try this very modern spin on steamed mussels. Fennel and tomatoes are common pairings with mussels, but garam masala is the wild card here, contributing an unexpected depth of curry flavor to the coconut–milk broth and tender mussels.
Banana Upside-Down Cake
Bananas, brown sugar, and rum have a natural affinity for each other (think of their shared tropical background), so it's no surprise that they make a wonderful crown for this homespun dessert. The spicy rum flavors of the topping are echoed in the cake itself, making the whole production darker and more interesting than your usual pineapple upside–down affair. Be sure to use just–ripe bananas for this recipe; if you use overly ripe ones, they will dissolve into the cake.
Turkey and Apricot Meatloaf
Possibly the most delicious turkey meatloaf we've come up with, this one is incredibly moist (dark turkey meat is key). Apricots show up three ways—in the finely chopped dried fruit (left over from our Prune, Cherry, and Apricot Frangipane Tart ) threaded through the meat, in the apricot preserves that help season it, and in the glaze brushed over the top—but the final result is not cloying, thanks to the healthy dose of ancho chile powder, soy sauce, and Worcestershire sauce, which balances the fruitiness with savory depth. This meatloaf also makes terrific sandwiches, so hope for leftovers.
Baked Apples with Candied Fennel and Pistachios
In our Egg Salad with Lemon and Fennel , fennel contributes juicy crunch and a nice hit of bright flavor. Here, the leftover fennel goes in a decidedly different direction: Candied in a sugar syrup, it has a softer snap and becomes more mellow. Along with pistachios, golden raisins, and fennel seeds, it makes a sophisticated filling for baked Gala apples. Many baked–apple recipes are too homey for company, but this version, with its spectrum of greens and golds, would be the highlight of any dinner party menu.
Glazed Chocolate Cake with Sprinkles
Alone, this cake is moist, tender, and elegant, the chocolate echoed by the glossy glaze. But let's put our cards on the table: The exuberant confetti of colorful sprinkles is what makes you want to dive right in. They're just so much fun. Indeed, this cake turns any meal into an occasion with a capital "o."
Creamy Fennel and Greens Soup
Soup is a great way to use up leftover greens, especially the leafy tops of beets or turnips, which too often get tossed in the compost pile. In this suave, satisfying soup, braising beet tops and collard greens (left over, respectively, from Smoked–Sable Tartare with Beets and Watercress and Wild–Mushroom Bundles ) with fennel and onion mellows the greens' hearty flavor and brings out a surprising smoothness (heightened by the cream stirred in at the end). Adding the spinach just before blending helps keep the color bright.
Frozen Peanut Butter Pie with Candied Bacon
Candied bacon might seem like the ultimate example of gilding the lily, but it adds a sweet, smoky edge to this already luscious pie. Elvis would be proud.
Dulce de Leche and NutButter Truffles
Leftover dulce de leche is nothing if not versatile: You can spoon it over ice cream, drizzle it over fresh fruit, or serve it with cookies. But if you're still feeling industrious after making our Dulce de Leche Half Moons, use the rest in these truffles. We promise you won't be sorry. The combination of caramelized milk, bittersweet chocolate, and almond butter produces a deeply flavored, not–too–sweet confection. And there's no need to chill the mixture before rolling, as you would if making traditional truffles with chocolate and cream—this user–friendly "ganache" practically rolls itself. If you make the truffles with peanut butter, the nut flavor will be a bit more pronounced than in the almond–butter version.
Ginger Scallion Egg-Drop Soup
It's only natural to use leftover chicken broth (from Blade Steaks with Rosemary White–Bean Purée ) to make chicken soup. But what a soup! Steeping ginger and scallion greens in the stock and then poaching the chicken in it is a quick way to achieve a depth of flavor. The final soup is enriched with silky ribbons of just–cooked eggs, shreds of tender chicken, and fresh rings of scallion. Best of all, this satisfying soup is easy enough to pull together after work.
Pumpkin Potato Puree
This side dish of silky mashed potatoes sweetened with pumpkin (left over from Pumpkin Muffins ), seasoned with fresh sage, and laced with melty strands of Fontina cheese is full of favorite autumnal flavors. But, surprisingly, it's the cider vinegar that really makes this dish sing—just a tablespoon of this stealth ingredient adds a roundness that ties the whole dish together. We love it with pork chops or turkey cutlets.
Scallion Crusted Artic Char
Nothing could be easier than stirring together chopped scallions with a dollop of mayonnaise, and this quick coating adds considerable verve and oniony bite to meaty arctic char fillets. And it looks great, too—the green of the scallions contrasts nicely against the pink flesh of the fish. For this recipe, we use the leftover scallions from our Tuna Steak au Poivre recipe, but it would also work fine with a full bunch.
Lemon Sabayon with Grapefruit
This remarkable sabayon, made with egg yolks left over from Spiced–Pumpkin Soufflés with Bourbon Molasses Sauce , tastes like a very lush and airy lemon curd. Pairing it with juicy segments of grapefruit creates a delightful call and response between the two citruses and their varying decibels of sweetness and tart zing. (The sabayon also pairs well with oranges or berries.) Though it is traditional to serve sabayon still warm—from the simmering water over which it is whisked—this version also tastes delicious chilled.
Egg, Potato, and Prosciutto Pie
"Simple, simple, simple! Just throw it in the oven and jump in the shower." That's how food stylist Toni Brogan described this savory pie, a favorite in her native New Zealand. And it really is that easy—just line a pan with puff pastry, fill it up with onions, thinly sliced potatoes, and, in place of the usual bacon, prosciutto (left over from Ravioli with Green Beans and Prosciutto ), then crack some eggs on top and cover with more pastry. By the time everyone is out of the shower, the pie is ready to come out of the oven, all golden and flaky on the outside, layered with deliciousness on the inside. Though it's traditional to serve the pie with ketchup, we love it with some spicy chutney on the side.
Provençal Braised Lamb Chops
It might seem like a joke to include a recipe designed to use up leftover white wine (from our Roast Turkey with Black Truffle Butter and White–Wine Gravy )—after all, why not just drink it?—but if you take the time to make this marvelous one–dish lamb dinner, you might find yourself hoarding half–empty bottles so you can make it again and again. Lamb shoulder chops are an inexpensive cut that benefits from braising, and the wine really helps tenderize the connective tissues running through the flavorful meat. Snuggling the lamb between sheets of thinly sliced potatoes, plus scatterings of golden garlic, onions, and thyme sprigs, creates a handsome and wonderfully aromatic dish.
Lebanese Style Stuffed Eggplant
One advantage to being married to a Lebanese man is that the food of his people is fantastic. I've never been able to perfectly replicate a single dish my mother–in–law makes until now: mahshi batinjaan, which my husband despises due to a lifelong aversion to eggplant. But ask yourself: How could he possibly resist this dish's charm? Once you slice through the silky flesh to reveal a fragrantly seasoned lamb and rice stuffing, this deceptively simple one–dish dinner is absolutely luscious and satisfying. (Editors' note: This recipe is solely the creation of Melissa Roberts and has not been formally tested by the test kitchen.)