By this stage of the game, many (maybe even most) Forum cooks are well acquainted with leftover turkey. And some – many – most – of us already have favorite recipes standing by.
But … for those of us who don’t … or those who do, but just have an urge to try something totally different this year with their bird leftovers, have I got a recipe for you.
And believe you me, I’ve seen and fixed a lot of leftover turkey whipperuppers in my day, but I’ve never ever met the likes of today’s wowser. You probably haven’t, either. So take a good gander at this saucy pasta presentation. Among other things to recommend it, it’s easy enough to put together for the family tonight or tomorrow night. Then, too, it’s packed with plenty of personality, which would make it a great candidate if company’s coming for dinner. Toss a salad, spread some crusty bread with garlic butter, and you’re good to go.
Mark Prece, corporate executive chef for the American Italian Pasta Co., gets the credit for creating:
Bolognaise sauce with leftover turkey
2/3cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups diced onions
1/3cup chopped fresh garlic
1cup peeled, diced carrots
1cup diced celery
2tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1pound cooked smoked ham, ground
1pound bulk sweet Italian sausage, cooked until well done
1pound cooked skinless turkey, ground
3cups red wine, cabernet or merlot preferred
2cans (12 ounces each) tomato paste
3cans (15 ounces each) beef consomme
1cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Hot cooked spaghetti
Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan or kettle. Add onions, garlic, carrots and celery and cook over medium heat until tender. Add the herbs and cook 1 minute, then add the ham, sausage and turkey. Stir in wine and let mixture simmer until the wine has reduced by half. Stir in the tomato paste until it is smooth. Slowly stir in consomme and let the sauce simmer gently for 30 minutes. Stir in the cream, season with salt and pepper and serve immediately over hot cooked spaghetti. Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Note: If necessary, sauce can be kept warm for a brief period before serving.
The next Forum will appear in Monday’s Time Out section.
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