I mean this both figuratively & literally. If you hosted the Thanksgiving feast and sent your guests home with leftovers, your refrigerator probably isn’t too overstuffed today. If all your guests stay for the holiday weekend, then everyone & everything is probably still stuffed with the remains of the meal. I am grateful to have my family around for the long weekend. But what do we do with the leftovers besides just heating them up again & again for everyone? This year we’re turning it into Turkey Mushroom Risotto! Now that we’ve gotten the main point of the post out of the way, let’s go to the literal side of the phrase and talk about the bird.
The Thanksgiving holiday is an American thing and turkeys are native to the Americas. Colonists found it prudent to slaughter the birds for these big feasts. The turkeys had been fattening themselves on insects and worms on the farms since their birth in spring. Using them as the main course for the harvest festival meant the turkeys would not have to be fed during the colder months. That’s some good American common sense for you!
Turkey Mushroom Risotto
Turkey-Mushroom Risotto (adapted from goodhousekeeping.com)
Serves: 4 Total Time: 1 hour Prep Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 6 cups chicken or turkey broth
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 12 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 2 cups cooked turkey meat, shredded
- 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
Directions
In 2-quart saucepan, heat the broth on low. In a deep 12-inch skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Cook them for 4 to 5 minutes or until they are softened, stirring twice. Add the turkey and stir 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set it aside.
Saute the mushrooms for about 5 minutes.
In same skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Add the shallot, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook them for 2 minutes, stirring. Add the rice and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add the wine, cook for 2 minutes or until it is mostly absorbed, stirring.
Risotto needs to be cooked slowly, adding small amounts of hot broth at a time.
Stir in the hot broth, 2 ladlefuls at a time, waiting until most of the liquid is absorbed before adding the next batch and stirring frequently. Cook the rice for 22 to 30 minutes or until the rice is just tender, stirring and adding broth the whole time.
Add the cooked mushroom & turkey mixture to the rice.
Add the butter and the turkey mixture to the rice. Cook it all together for another 2 minutes, stirring. Remove the risotto from the heat, stir in the Parmesan, garnish it with the parsley and serve immediately.
This will use up some of that turkey!
I’m grateful to still have a houseful of family to help with these leftovers! ~Linda
Turkey-Mushroom Risotto (adapted from goodhousekeeping.com)
Serves: 4 Total Time: 1 hour Prep Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 6 cups chicken or turkey broth
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 12 ounces mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 2 cups cooked turkey meat, shredded
- 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 2 cups arborio rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
Directions
In 2-quart saucepan, heat the broth on low. In a deep 12-inch skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Cook them for 4 to 5 minutes or until they are softened, stirring twice. Add the turkey and stir 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and set it aside.
In same skillet, heat the remaining oil over medium heat. Add the shallot, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook them for 2 minutes, stirring. Add the rice and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add the wine, cook for 2 minutes or until it is mostly absorbed, stirring.
Stir in the hot broth, 2 ladlefuls at a time, waiting until most of the liquid is absorbed before adding the next batch and stirring frequently. Cook the rice for 22 to 30 minutes or until the rice is just tender, stirring and adding broth the whole time.
Add the butter and the turkey mixture to the rice. Cook it all together for another 2 minutes, stirring. Remove the risotto from the heat, stir in the Parmesan, garnish it with the parsley and serve immediately.