Jerri’s Leftover Turkey A la King

After we became empty nesters, a problem we never had when the kids were living at home rose to prominence. Even two people with excellent appetites and reasonably good memories can forget how many packages of leftover turkey they tucked in the back corners of the freezer.

Discovering a package of roast turkey sliced from the bird a year or two after a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner is an unpleasant experience. Sometimes it even leads to conflict:

“How did this package of turkey get behind the vegetables?” I ask.

“You probably moved it. Use your eyes once in a while!”

“We can take it to the cabin and feed it to the fox,” I say, which defuses most of these confrontations.

However, it really is better to use that meat to make enchiladas, tetrazzini, soup or turkey a la king rather than fatten up the animals who should be getting their own turkeys. There are lots of them running around Wisconsin today.

Jerri is a genius when it comes to using up leftovers, and she has done her best to teach me how to “make do” as well. Most of the time, those “found foods” turn into delicious meals. Here is how we make leftover turkey a la king. Served over mashed potatoes, it is truly a dish made for royalty.

INGREDIENTS:

5 T butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. white pepper
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
2 cups diced turkey
4 oz. sliced mushrooms
1/4 cup chopped pimiento

PROCEDURE:

Dice the turkey meat (a mixture of white and dark is best) and set it aside. Open and drain a can of mushrooms or clean, slice and sauté some fresh mushrooms. Open a small jar of pimientos and chop them if necessary.

In a two quart saucepan or skillet, melt the butter and blend in the flour. salt and white pepper over low heat. You are making a roux. Cook the mixture for three or four minutes, but do not brown it.

Add the broth and milk, raise the heat to medium and stir constantly until the sauce has thickened and is bubbling.

Reduce the heat and stir in the turkey, mushrooms and pimientos. Continue stirring until everything is hot. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Serve over mashed potatoes, pasta, rice or toast. The recipe makes four generous servings.

NOTES: The original for this recipe is of course “Chicken a la King” which was probably invented in the late 19th century by William “Bill” King, a chef at the Bellevue Hotel in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The recipe was first published in 1900.

You can substitute red or green bell pepper for the pimiento.

Scallop Scampi

Properly cooked, scallops are wonderful. Our friend Dardi sautés sea scallops to perfection. The trick is to cook the scallops until they are just done. Thirty seconds too long, and the scallops begin to toughen and soon resemble large rubber erasers. Dardi knows when the pan is ready for the scallops and exactly when to turn the scallops so they are golden brown on both sides but not overcooked.

My one try with sea scallops resulted in edible but chewy scallops that cost a fortune. I have had much more luck with the smaller bay scallops cooked in a savory sauce of butter, olive oil, garlic, spices and a dry white wine such as a sauvignon blanc or chardonnay.

Here is how to make scallop scampi that your family and friends will ask for again. Just trust the clock and cook the scallops for the time indicated, and all will be well. The recipe below serves four.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb. bay scallops
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T lemon juice
1 1/2 T olive oil
2 shallots (about 3 T finely chopped)
1 1/2 T butter
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
2 T fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup dry white wine
Dash of red pepper flakes (1/16 tsp.)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. white pepper
Parsley sprigs (for garnishing)
Pasta of your choice
Grated Parmesan cheese

PROCEDURE:

Start heating the water for the pasta that you prefer. I like penne rigate for this recipe, but linguine or fettuccine work well too. While the water is heating, peel and chop the garlic and shallots very fine. You can also chop the parsley at this time. When the water begins to boil, cook the pasta according to the directions for the variety you have chosen and begin cooking the scampi.

Put the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat and add the scallops. Once the scallops are sizzling in the olive oil, reduce the heat to medium and sauté them for two minutes, stirring constantly. Add the lemon juice. Stir the scallops in the oil and juice, remove them from the skillet and set them aside.

In the same skillet over medium heat, sauté the garlic, shallots, parsley, oregano, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper for two minutes. Add the wine and simmer for five minutes. Return the scallops to the skillet and simmer for another two minutes.

With a slotted spoon remove the scallops to a warm serving bowl, leaving the liquid in the skillet. Add the butter, raise the heat and reduce the liquid to about a third cup. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Pour the sauce over the scallops. Garnish with parsley sprigs. Serve over pasta with a grating of fresh Parmesan cheese. A green salad, some good bread and a glass of the wine you used to cook the scallops is all you need to complete a gourmet dinner.

Quick, simple and delicious!

NOTES: Be careful with the amount of salt you add to the sauce, as the Parmesan cheese is rather salty. Diners can add salt and pepper at the table.