Today I have two great recipes using leftover turkey. This satay originated in Thailand and Indonesia and is a great little recipe. It was one of my mother’s favourite dishes, and my brother Kenneth loves making this.
We teach this recipe a lot in the cookery school. You can have this sauce made ahead. It is delicious with turkey and also with leftover beef or chicken. It is also lovely with butternut squash or sweet potato. You could do it vegetarian and add in leftover turkey at the end. To check if the vegetables are cooked, pierce them with the tip of a knife. They should feel as soft as butter. You are only reheating the turkey. Simply Better have recently launched an Irish-made crunchy peanut butter, which is fantastic.
The second turkey recipe is a little twist on Mexican quesadillas. For me, the mango salsa is the star of the show. It is lovely and sweet and it cuts through the richness. This is a lovely quick recipe and would work with ham, too. Add some cheddar cheese or mozzarella, if you like. I would have the mango salsa and the satay sauce made a day or two ahead (and see below for a more Christmassy version of the quesadilla).
Happy Cooking,
Neven
Turkey Satay Vegetable Noodles
Serves 4–6
275g (10oz) fine egg noodles
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 large red pepper, halved, seeded and thinly sliced
225g (8oz) fine green beans, trimmed and halved
175g (6oz) baby corn, halved lengthways
2 garlic cloves, crushed
400g (14oz) can coconut milk
350g (12oz) leftover cooked turkey meat, cut into bite-sized pieces
100g (4oz) crunchy peanut butter
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1 tsp light muscovado sugar
juice of half a lime
50g (2oz) cashew nuts, toasted and finely chopped
handful fresh coriander leaves, to garnish
1 Place the fine egg noodles in a pan of boiling water and cook for 3–4 minutes, until tender, or according to the packet instructions.
2 Heat a wok until very hot. Add the oil and swirl it around the edges, then tip in the red pepper, green beans, baby corn and garlic. Stir-fry for 3–4 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Sprinkle over one tablespoon of water if the mixture is getting too dry.
3 Drain the noodles and add to the wok with the coconut milk, turkey, peanut butter, soy sauce, chilli sauce, sugar and lime juice. Stir-fry for another 2–3 minutes, until all the ingredients are piping hot.
4 To serve, divide among warmed serving bowls and scatter over the cashew nuts and coriander.
Turkey Quesadillas with Mango Salsa
Makes two quesadillas
¼ red onion, thinly sliced
4 soft flour tortillas
1 mild fresh red chilli, cut into rings (optional)
225g (8oz) leftover cooked turkey, sliced (or use ham, or a mixture of both)
2 handfuls of grated red cheddar and mozzarella
For the mango salsa
1 firm, ripe mango, peeled, finely diced and stone discarded
1 small roasted red pepper, peeled, deseeded and diced
Finely grated rind and juice of 1 lime
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 First, make the mango salsa: put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine, then season to taste. Cover with cling film and set aside at room temperature to allow the flavours to develop.
2 Scatter the red onion on two of the tortillas and sprinkle over the chilli (if using). Arrange the slices of turkey or ham (or a mixture of both) on top, then cover with the cheese and remaining tortillas.
3 Heat a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Add the quesadillas one at a time and cook for about two minutes on each side, until lightly toasted. Cut into wedges and serve with mango salsa on the side.
Varitation:
Christmas Quesadillas with Brie & Cranberry
The obvious time for this one is after Christmas, when there is plenty of turkey about. If you have leftover stuffing, substitute some slices of stuffing for some of the turkey and/or ham.
Scatter slices of Brie or Camembert over the turkey and/or ham, add small dollops of cranberry sauce and sprinkle over some toasted pine nuts. Season generously and scatter over a little watercress. Cook as described above.
Entertaining at home: the perfect time to host a holiday brunch