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Sunday, November 28, 2010

Remains of T-Day: Turkey Fritters




How to convert Thanksgiving leftovers into Turkey Fritters.  A great way to use cooked turkey, cornbread dressing, wild rice and creamed onions! 

The idea behind this recipe came from the Cornbread Dressing that I made for Thanksgiving.  While I was preparing it, I was thinking about the similarities between cornbread and polenta.  Now that I have leftover dressing, I thought it might make sense to handle it the way Italians cook leftover polenta: by frying pieces of it.

Considering the best way to do this, I looked for a way to incorporate other leftover items from last Thursday, and these fritters are the result.  Béchamel in the creamed onions plus egg bind together the turkey, cornbread dressing and wild rice.  This combination of ingredients produces a texture quite similar to crab cakes, so I flavored the fritters with cayenne and Old Bay Seasoning.  Coated with fresh breadcrumbs, sauteed in a small amount of butter, and served with onion jam from Canada, these fritters were a definite success.


Turkey Fritters

Makes seven 3" fritters

Ingredients

1 egg, beaten
2 cups Cornbread Dressing (or cornbread stuffing), chopped
1 cup cooked wild rice
2/3 cup creamed onions with thick béchamel, chopped
10 oz. cooked turkey, chopped (I used about 60% white meat, 40% dark meat)
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
Onion Jam or chutney for garnish


Process
  1. Combine the wild rice and chopped cornbread dressing in a mixing bowl, mix briefly.  Chop the turkey into 1/4"  cubes and add to the mixture.  (the meat below is from two turkeys; the pinkish piece on the right is from a smoked turkey)




  2. Chop the creamed onions and sauce, then add to the mixture.


  3. Add the beaten egg and stir together to combine.

  4. Add the Old Bay Seasoning, pinch of cayenne and a few grinds of salt and pepper.  Stir.

  5. Grind bread in a food processor to make fresh breadcrumbs.  Form 3" patties, about 3/4" thick from the fritter mixture, then coat with the crumbs.



  6. Spray a large frying pan with cooking spray, then put a small piece of butter where each fritter will go.  Lay the fritters on the butter and turn up the heat.  Cook slowly to brown the first side and heat the fritter through.  Place a small piece of butter on top of each fritter and then turn them to cook on the other side.  Continue cooking until slightly puffed and well-browned on both sides.  Remove to a serving plate.



Serve hot with onion jam or chutney!




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6 comments:

  1. I love this idea! So cute and delicious, I'm sure!

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  2. Hi just found you via "Laws of the Kitchen."

    This is such a fabulous recipe idea. I love using leftovers to make meals the next day!

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  3. I don't like onions, do you think creamed corn or spinach could work as a substitute so the ingredients adhere? This is open to anyone!

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  4. I make a very similar recipe every morning after thanksgiving sans rice. Best use of leftovers ever

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  5. Thanks @awbluemondays, @Les reves, @K and SimplyCharice!
    @K, it would be great if others would offer their opinion on the corn/spinach!

    My opinion is that it would work beautifully IF you make sure you have a thickened sauce with whatever vegetable you're adding. It's really the bechamel part that's important, to bind things together. So you might need to add a coupld of tablespoons to the creamed vegetable before mixing it in. --Sue

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  6. Do you happen to a have a recipe for the creamed onions and bechamel sauce?

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Your feedback matters! So please leave a comment. I will do my best to answer all comments! Cheers, Sue