Leftover Turkey?

As usual, we had a whole turkey roasted and carved for Christmas Eve dinner. We usually have Butterball turkey but the supermarket only had Norbest in stock. This brand turned out to be better - it was easier to cook as it came with its own "thermometer," and the bird roasted just until the inside was cooked through but still juicy and tender.

Six very hungry persons weren't able to devour the whole bird. So what did I do with the leftovers?

Sandwich

I flaked some of the leftover meat, tossed it with some gravy just to moisten them up, then stuffed them into crusty baguettes with some veggies.

I also made some Turkey Pie

I basically made a white sauce, folded in the flaked turkey with some sauteed mushrooms, carrots, potatoes and peas.

Then I experimented with some crusts, sort of. I used a basic flaky pie-crust for my first pie.

Then I ran across a recipe for a cream-cheese pastry which was easy to make, but unbelievably flaky!

I always experiment with turkey leftovers! After all, this bird only comes to our house once a year!

Surprise Bread

Ham and Cheese Loaf

My mother and my brother are just crazy for BreadTalk’s Crouching Tiger Hidden Bacon Bread. I do say, it is yummy! Tender white bread with a swirl of juicy peppery ham in the middle!

I have always wanted to make something similar, but with a twist!

The bread I used for this recipe is the same bread I used for the corned beef roll I made some time ago – the Challah, an egg bread.

After the first rising, I rolled out the whole dough on a lightly oiled table. I spread some tomato pesto on top. I used tomato pesto as it comes in bottles seasoned and ready to eat. At least I would not have to worry about chopping herbs, then drizzling olive oil, had I decided to use the tomato sauce from the pantry. I didn’t want it oozing with tomato inside, so I used just enough to “color” the dough. I left around an inch of margin around so it would seal shut once rolled.

I then laid out some slices of pastrami. I originally intended some ham, but decided I would go for the more peppery meat. You can use whatever sliced meat you like. Then the best part, some grated cheese. I figured that the cheese, as it melts, would “cement” the meat and dough together.

(leave clean margins so that the bread will seal shut when rolled. you don't want all of the filling oozing out into your pan.)

Then I rolled the bread on its long side. Leave some room for expansion – do not roll it too tightly! I then placed it on a greased 5x9 loaf pan and let it rise another 40 minutes (until doubled in volume). I put it on a 375° oven for 40-50 minutes until it was golden.

(i may have rolled this one too loose - the expanded dough did not obliterate all the space.)

Corned Beef Pie

Corned Beef Cups

Having made corned beef buns before, now I’m making corned beef pie!

I was craving for something savory and creamy, so I thought of adding cream soup to the filling!

Filling
I began by sautéing a large can of corned beef with some minced onions, garlic, carrots and celery. Next, I poured in a whole can of cream of mushroom soup and some water to thin it out. I tasted it and adjusted the seasonings. I like it peppery. Add more water to yours if it comes out too thick.

Pastry
I used the same pastry recipe I used for my summer fruit pie. In fact, I use only one pastry recipe.

However, I added some flavorings:

To the flour and salt mixture, add ½ teaspoon each of paprika, black pepper (adjust according to your taste), dried basil, and dried oregano.

Form dough according to recipe. Chill then roll out on a lightly floured board.
Cut into small circles, then press on to cupcake tin. Fill. You can opt to leave it open or cover with some dough if you have extra.

(i covered the cups with some extra dough, but it wasn't enought to cover the whole surface)

(having run out of muffin tins, i opted to stuff the remaining dough with the filling empanada-style.)

Bake in a 325° oven for 20 - 30 minutes, or until edges turn golden brown.

(remove from pan and cool on a rack).

Corned Beef Rolls


Almost all bakeries in the Philippines have their own version of corned beef roll. But all of them taste more or less the same. They only differ in their bread. The filling usually consists of (leftover?) corned beef – complete with softened onions and diced potatoes. There’s probably more potato inside than beef that you could even count the number of corned beef fibers at each bite.

I happen to like corned beef – so I try to find new ways of enjoying it. I prefer the brand that comes in large flat cans - from Australia or New Zealand, I think. They tend to be in real chunks! Not like the “pureed” local or American versions. I take comfort in knowing I’m getting real meat fibers stuck between my teeth, not some mushy mashed “meat.”

Filling

On opening a can, I skim the surface for fat. This, you can discard or use for sautéing. I take out the large chunks and remove any fascia (medical term for muscle covering – “ligament” or “tendon” perhaps in layman’s terms, or litid in the local language).

On a sauté pan, heat up around 3 tablespoons oil. Sauté the following: two diced medium onions, two diced small tomatoes (I like removing the seeds), 3 cloves chopped garlic (more, if you like!), one small minced carrot and one stalk minced celery. Add the whole can of corned beef. Sauté until the meat is heated through. Pour in one cup of water. Adjust seasonings. Boil away water to desired "soupiness." If the mixture gets too thick, thin out with some water. Cool before stuffing into dough.

This is my basic sautéed corned beef recipe. Yes, I always add carrots and celery when possible as they add more flavor to the beef. They, together with the garlic, perfume the meat to hide the “canned” flavor.

My very minimum for sautéed corned beef is tomatoes, onions and garlic. Tomatoes make the meat moist and juicy. My grandmother always omits it as she believes the dish spoils much more quickly with tomatoes.

I leave out the potatoes as I usually have this dish eaten with bread or rice.

Dough

You can use any dough or bread that you like. But I used an egg-bread for today as its soft, rich consistency goes well with the heaviness of the filling. I used the Challah recipe from Nick Malgieri’s “A Baker’s Tour.”

Sponge
2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast
1/3 cup warm water
½ cup unbleached flour

Dough
1 cup warm water
½ cup oil
2 large eggs
2 large yolks
¼ cup sugar
2 ½ teaspoons salt
5 ½ cups all purpose flour

Dissolve yeast in water, then whisk in flour. Let sponge rise, around 10 minutes.

When bubbly, add the rest of the ingredients to the sponge, except the flour. Mix. Now add the flour. I usually add only 4 cups or just enough so you can handle the dough on the kneading table. Add more flour as you knead, around ½ cup at a time, just enough to prevent it from sticking as you knead. Knead for around 10 to 15 minutes or until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Place dough on a greased bowl. Cover with damp cloth and let rise for an hour or until doubled in volume.

After rising, gently punch down to release some air. Roll the dough and divide into desired size. This recipe makes approximately three dozen 50-60 g pieces.

Gently flatten each piece on your palm or on the table top. Place a spoonful of filling on the center – around a teaspoon. Gather up the edges then twist. Place the filled dough seam-side down on a greased pan, two to three inches apart.
Let rise another 30 to 60 minutes until dough has doubled in volume again.

(brush dough with eggwash prior to baking)

Brush with eggwash prior to baking. Bake at a 375° for around 15 minutes or until golden brown.

(remove dough from pan and cool on a wire rack)

I had consumed all of the filling, making 36 buns when I still had a piece of dough remaining. I decided to stuff it with some bacon leftover from breakfast. I first brushed the flattened dough with some tomato pesto, laid out some basil leaves, then the bacon, and some sandwich cheese. It was also quite yummy!

(i stuffed the leftover dough with some bacon and cheese, etc.)