Leftover and Over

I love a roast turkey. I love a turkey panini with dressing and cranberry sauce the next day, or maybe a hot turkey sandwich with fries on the side the day after that. I don’t even mind a bit of turkey soup on the third day.  However, by the end of that bowl of much-loved turkey soup my taste buds just become numb. Call it the turkey coma.

I had cooked my first turkey for Thanksgiving back in mid October. And, as much as I love turkey, the very sight of leftover turkey on the third day can be a bit frustrating. Last year I had tried Jamie Oliver’s Turkey Leek Pie with the leftover turkey from the in-laws. It is a super good recipe, like most of Jamie’s recipes (I may be biased) – “easy as pie”, you might say. I had planned on adopting it as a left-over-turkey tradition. It would have come back to the table as planned had I not been eating salt and pepper seasoned turkey for the last few days. I needed a good punch of flavour – mild, yet something that wakes up the coma-lulled taste buds.

Here is what saved the next turkey for me. This pie is mildly spicy with tomato, cream, and lots of vegetables – as well as turkey and eggs. The puff pastry is a real treat with this filling. The curried filling is as good with plain rice and also freezes well if there is plenty leftover again!

CURRIED TURKEY PIE

YOU NEED:

• Leftover Turkey: 2 cups cubed or shut into small but chunky pieces
• Boiled Vegetables: 2 cups (small diced boiled potatoes, carrots, cauliflower, peas)
• Oil: 2 tbsp
• Onion: 1 medium finely chopped
• ginger: 1 tbsp freshly grated
• Garlic: 2 tbsp freshly grated
• Tomato: 2 cubs cubed
• Yogurt: 1 cup
• Cream: 1 cup
• Coriander Powder: 1 tbsp
• Cumin Powder: 1 tbsp
• Turmeric Powder: 1/2 tsp
• Chilli Powder: 1/4 tsp
• Fenugreek Seeds: 1 tsp
• Fresh Thyme:  1 few sprigs
• Whole Boiled Eggs: 3
• Puff Pastry: 1 sheet
• Salt and pepper: to taste

HERE’S HOW:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees C.
• Heat oil in a pan, add fenugreek seeds and let the seeds start bubbling. Add onion to this and fry for 5 mins or so on medium heat till it tuns translucent.
• Add grated ginger and garlic to the onions and fry for another few minutes. Add the tomatoes, turmeric, chilli, coriander and cumin powder and stir fry on low heat till the tomatoes have melted and the spices are well mixed. Take off heat, let cool for a min or two and add the yogurt and mix well.
• Put pan back on heat and continue to cook the spices on low heat till the mixture is smooth and creamy and the oil has separated from the spices.
• Add the vegetables and turkey and cook for a few minutes.
• Add cream, salt and pepper to taste and the thyme. Mix well.
• Cover and let cook on low heat till the sauce is not runny any more.
• Take off heat, add the chopped hard boiled eggs and mix thoroughly.
• Spoon the turkey in individual pie dishes.
• Make a small whole or opening on the pastry used to cover the pie. Place on pie and brush with a little bit of milk.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the pastry is well puffed and golden.
• Serve hot.

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