Build a Better: Thanksgiving leftovers? Hello, sandwich!
The turkey was grand and the mashed potatoes fab, but by day three or four, they’re getting a little … repetitive. Sure, you could pile everything into sandwiches with dollops of cranberry sauce and lashings of gravy, but here’s a little sandwich inspiration to shake things up a bit.
Artisan Herbed Turkey and Brie Sandwiches: Liane Ingham (Richmond’s Artisan Kitchen) makes a turkey, roasted pepper and Brie sandwich that’s a fantastic combination at any time of year — but it works particularly well with leftover Thanksgiving turkey. You’ll find the full recipe here. But in a nutshell, you slather brioche or Francese rolls with a honey mustard-mayo (stir together 3 tablespoons honey mustard and 1 tablespoon mayonnaise), add a few leaves of romaine lettuce to prevent bread sogginess, then layer on roasted red peppers, thinly sliced red onion, turkey, Brie, tomato and English cucumber.
Turkey Croque Monsieur: Francis Hogan (Pleasanton’s Sabio on Main, San Francisco’s Bluestem Brasserie) gives his favorite post-Thanksgiving sandwich a dash of French panache with a Croque Monsieur treatment. He smothers sourdough bread in turkey gravy, then layers on thinly sliced turkey, cranberry sauce and sauteed greens. Top each sandwich with another gravy-slathered piece of bread, then roast it in a 400-degree oven for 5 minutes. Add a slice of Brie on top and roast 1 minute more, then serve — with a knife and fork. (You’ll find his sandwich tips here.)
A Colicchio ‘Wich: The “Top Chef” judge serves up irresistible turkey, bacon and avocado sandwiches at ‘Wichcraft, his New York City sandwich chain. But what makes these sandwiches so addictive is the balsamic-onion marmalade he slathers inside The sweet tangy flavor complements the turkey, much as that Thanksgiving cranberry sauce did on Thursday. You’ll find the recipe here.
Alton Brown’s Turkey Salad: Thanksgiving leftovers do splendidly in turkey salad sandwiches, especially when you add pecans, dried cranberries and fresh sage to the mix. Brown’s recipe combines cubed roasted turkey meat with a lemony mayonnaise — just add fresh lemon juice to taste. Thinly sliced celery, chopped red onion, toasted pecans, chopped dried cranberries and fresh sage add flavor and texture to the whole affair. Let the flavors meld in the fridge for an hour or so, then pile the salad into sandwiches and enjoy.