It was gone, all gone! No turkey! No turkey sandwiches! No turkey salad! No turkey gravy! Turkey hash! Turkey a la king! Or gallons of turkey soup! Gone, ALL GONE!
— A Christmas Story
Assuming that the Bumpus hounds didn’t abscond with your holiday feast before you’ve even had a chance to put fork to mouth, you’ll have some leftover turkey.
What to do with it all? We love turkey sandwiches (just turkey and mayo on sourdough, please). Chef Sin also makes an incredible turkey pot pie based on an offering at Strongbow Inn, the renowned turkey-specialty restaurant (yes, there is such a thing) in Valparaiso, Ind., where she got her first culinary training.
The same restaurant gave us the basis of our favorite leftover turkey recipe: marinated white meat mounded onto butter lettuce with a dollop of mayo, some toasted almonds and tomato wedges.
Sounds simple, but it’s incredibly delicious — especially if you charcoal-grilled the bird, as I’m sure you did. The mesquite smokiness of the turkey is a perfect marriage with the garlicky marinade. We’ve even Webered a turkey breast by itself just to get the makings for this amazing salad.
Turkey Salad
4 cups white turkey meat, cut in to 3/4-inch cubes
2 cups sliced celery (not too fine)
Marinate overnight, or at least four hours, in:
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tsp salt
A few grinds of fresh pepper
1/2 small garlic clove, slightly smashed
Stir a few times during the marinade. Drain off excess and mound on bowls or plates of whole-leaf butter lettuce. Garnish each salad with tomato wedges, 1 tbsp of mayo (or more, if you’re Chef Zuz), and a sprinkle of toasted, slivered almonds.
Serves four. Or less, if the Bumpus hounds are coming to dinner.