Got Thanksgiving leftovers? Here’s a little sandwich inspiration from the pros.
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. She slathers brioche or Francese rolls with a honey mustardmayo (use a 3 to 1 ratio for maximum deliciousness), 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: Sabio on Main chef Francis Hogan used his former gig at San Francisco’s Bluestem Brasserie as inspiration for this post-Thanksgiving sandwich. 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.
• Alton Turkey Salad: Thanksgiving leftovers do splendidly in turkey salad sandwiches, says Alton Brown, 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.