5 ways to cut back on holiday food waste
The holidays mean lots of food, so make sure it doesn’t go to waste.
USA TODAY
Left with a ton of turkey, mounds of mashed potatoes and gallons of gravy after a holiday?
That, as Martha Stewart would say, is a very good thing.
We rounded up some of our favorite chefs, restaurant owners and all-around nice guys for suggestions beyond turkey and ham sandwiches.
With the heavy lifting of preparing a big meal behind you, it should be easy right?
“Everything is cooked and ready to use,” Giovanna Lafata of Amore Italian Market & Bakery in Cape Coral said. “It makes it easy.”
There are as many options for turkey and all the trimmings as there are lights on a Christmas tree.
You just need to get started.
“Just don’t overthink it,” Jake Garrett, head chef at Sage on 47th in Cape Coral, said. “Keep it simple. Get a waffle, top it with mashed potatoes, some gravy and cranberry. Take a pie shell and fill it with leftovers, bake it and there you go. Ham empanadas, fry some stuffing and cranberry balls until crisp. Egg rolls too.”
Giuseppe Manco of San Matteo Italian Restaurant & Bar in south Fort Myers is also about simplicity.
“The day after (the holiday), I make turkey soup,” he said. “It’s easy. Just make a tasty vegetable broth and reduce it with the turkey and potatoes.”
Hungry for more?
Here’s what else you can gobble up (using turkey or ham):
Shepherd’s pie
One idea Ralph Centalonza, owner of Sage on 47th, has been toying with is this Irish classic made with turkey instead of beef or lamb.
It’s simple too.
“Layer any and all leftovers in a casserole dish, putting the dryer leftovers down first,” he said. “Turkey, yams, mashed potatoes, mac n cheese, chopped green beans and topped with gravy. Then put it all in the oven for a delicious cozy meal. Garnish with cranberry sauce.”
Easy-peasy.
Turkey tetrazzini
When we asked Giovanna about using leftovers, she immediately named this comforting casserole.
The most difficult thing about it is deciding what noodles to use.
“I like longer noodles,” she said. “Linguine or fettuccine.”
After cooking your pasta of choice, “mix it all in.”
“The noodles, gravy, turkey, peas, Swiss cheese grated down, a little sour cream,” Giovanna said. “If you have cornbread, crumble it over the top.”
Then bake it, covered, at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, depending on the size of the casserole dish. Uncover it for the last five minutes and enjoy.
Turkey and trimmings pizza
One of my favorite pizzas is the Wishbone (turkey, mashed potato, gravy, corn, cheese and cranberry drizzle on a stuffing crust) from Nice Guys in Cape Coral.
So I asked owner Greg Gebhard if a version of it can be replicated at home.
“I definitely don’t see why not,” he said. “When it comes to pizza, I always encourage people to try.”
He suggests making the stuffing crust in a cast iron skillet.
“Put it in an even layer,” Greg said. “To get it crunchy, a little oil or butter wouldn’t hurt. You may need to add stock to the stuffing to get it to form correctly.”
Top that with a layer of gravy, mashed potatoes (put on cold and near the top so they warm through), corn and turkey, then cheese.
“Cheese is not the star of this show, so maybe mozzarella and cheddar,” he said. “And corn works well because there are so many salty items.”
If you’re adding mac ‘n cheese (and why not?), layer it with the mashed potatoes. If using green beans (“that would taste so good),” add those above the cheese.
“Top it with cranberry but run it through a food processor and do a drizzle with it,” Greg said. “Or dollop it on.”
Bake it at 350 to 375 degrees.
“Have a lid on it for 20 minutes but check it,” he said. “You want it on a lower, longer temperature to keep it from drying out.”
Right before it’s done, pop it under the broiler.
“It’ll be so cool if someone tries this,” Greg said.
Turkey and potato gratin
This and the following two recipes come from 4,600 miles away.
They’re courtesy of Cedric Di Dio, owner of Lily Paris Bakery in Fort Myers, and his France-based family.
“They are family recipes I keep in my recipe book,” Cedric said. “You can substitute ham or tuna, for the pescatarians.”
They’re all easy and require a minimal amount of cooking.
For this one, start by sauteing a finely chopped onion and two cloves of minced garlic in a bit of oil until golden. Add two cups of leftover turkey — shredded or cut into pieces — and mix well. In a baking dish, layer the bottom with three cups of cooked potatoes (sliced or mashed) and season with salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Spread your turkey mixture evenly over the potatoes, then pour ¾ cup of heavy cream or bechamel sauce (flour and butter cooked together — aka a roux — and milk) over everything. Generously sprinkle one cup of grated cheese (Gruyere, cheddar or your choice) on top and bake in a 390-degree preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until the top is golden and crispy.
“You can add leftover vegetables like carrots, peas or green beans for an even heartier dish,” Cedric said.
Turkey and potato quiche
If you’ve never had one of Cedric’s quiches from his bakery near the Bell Tower, you’re missing out. He knows quiches.
For this one, roll out a pre-made or homemade pie crust into a tart pan and poke the bottom with a fork and pre-bake in a 350-degree preheated oven for 10 minutes. In a skillet, saute a finely chopped onion in one tablespoon of olive oil or butter until it’s translucent. Add 1½ cups of shredded or diced leftover turkey and warm them slightly. Spread the turkey, 1½ cups of diced or sliced cooked potatoes and onions evenly over the pre-baked crust. In a bowl, whisk two eggs, three-quarter cup of heavy cream, one-third cup of milk and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour this over the filling. Sprinkle one cup of shredded cheese (Gruyère, Cheddar, or your choice ) evenly on top and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the quiche is golden brown and the filling is set. Let it cool for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
“Add other leftover vegetables like green beans or carrots for extra flavor,” Cedric said.
Savory turkey and potato cake
“This recipe is very easy and very good,” Cedric said.
Get started by greasing a baking dish or springform pan and then heating two tablespoons of butter or olive oil in a skillet and sauteing a finely chopped onion and one clove of minced garlic until softened. Add two cups of shredded or diced cooked turkey and mix well (and as with Cedric’s other recipes, cooked peas, carrots, green beans and other vegetables can be added to this mixture). Season with salt, pepper and herbs like thyme or parsley. Combine three cups of mashed potatoes, two eggs, and ½ cup shredded cheese (cheddar, Gruyère, or your choice) in a large bowl. Mix until smooth. Spread half of that potato mixture into the baking dish to create an even layer. Add the turkey and onion mixture on top. Then cover that with the remaining mashed potatoes. Sprinkle a half cup shredded cheese on top and, if desired, add a layer of breadcrumbs (about three tablespoons) for a crispy topping. Bake in a 350-degree preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbly. Let it cool for five minutes before serving.
“For extra flavor, mix a bit of sour cream or cream cheese into the mashed potatoes,” Cedric said.” Voila!
Turkey pot pie
Just as Cedric does with his quiche, chef Wesley Robbins at Blossom & Brie in North Fort Myers also breaks out pie crust for this recipe.
If you don’t have any leftover veggies, heat a medium saucepan, add butter, one cup each of carrots and peas, plus ½ cup of celery, and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are soft. Add one cup of gravy and one pound of cubed leftover turkey to cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, simmer for 15 minutes, then remove from the heat. Slowly stir in the 2/3 cup of milk until the desired pot pie filling consistency is achieved (you may not need all of the milk depending on how thick your gravy is). Simmer until thick, 5 to 10 minutes. Strain the gravy vegetable mixture, reserving the gravy, and place the vegetables in the bottom of a 9-inch unbaked pie crust. Pour the gravy over the vegetables until just covered. Cover with a top crust, seal the edges and cut away any excess dough. Make several small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Bake in a 425-degree preheated oven until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly, 30 to 35 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with cranberry relish. Enjoy!
And last but not least, the turkey sandwich
Include Ralph of Sage on 47th with those who have leftover turkey or ham sandwiches at the top of their leftover lists.
“A sandwich stacked with all the leftovers is my go-to,” he said.
And how to craft the perfect one?
“I would make a spread using cranberry and mayonnaise on both sides of sourdough bread, then as many layers as your doctor would allow,” he said. “Toast it in the oven for a cozy factor.”
Works for us.
Robyn George is a food and dining reporter for The News-Press. Connect at rhgeorge@fortmyer.gannett.com
Dining and Cooking