Thanksgiving Leftovers: Turkey ala Angie
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I usually make this the day after Thanksgiving. This year I waited two days, because we had so many other leftovers to eat yesterday. It is my take on one of my favorite comfort foods, Turkey ala King.
I start with a medium white sauce, or Béchamel. I usually make twice the standard recipe:
Melt 4 Tablespoons of butter in a heavy sauce pan, over low heat.
Whisk in 4 Tablespoons of all-purpose flour.
Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Continue whisking over low about 4 minutes. This will cook out the raw flour flavor.
NOTE: If you have leftover turkey broth, substitute broth for one cup of the milk.
Add 2 cups of whole milk, whisking to achieve a smooth consistency.
The white sauce will gradually thicken. I add additional broth and milk to taste, as well as course ground black pepper and sea salt.
Add at least one cup of diced leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Sautee 8-ounces of sliced baby **portabella** mushrooms in some butter. Once they have softened a little, I add the mushrooms and the butter to the white sauce. Add about 6 ounces of frozen green peas and allow the entire mixture to heat slowly. Once all of the added ingredients have become hot, the ala Angie is done.
I serve it over biscuits or rice.
You will find this recipe most often as Chicken ala King. It is the more traditional incarnation, but I find that the turkey broth has a flavor more fitting for the mild richness of this dish. I also think it is important to use portabella mushrooms, rather than the bland canned muchrooms most recipes call for. Portabellas have an earthy, full flavor that is deepened with a good sautee.
YUM. We are already tired of turkey leftovers, and I still have a big chunk of turkey breast left, which I don’t want to throw away. Do you know if I can wrap it in foil or something and freeze it?
I would wrap it in foil and then put that in a zip-lock bag or in a good layer of plastic wrap. The double layer will help keep out the icy air.
Or, you could go ahead and make soup and just freeze that.