We had a turkey this year that was almost eighteen pounds. It was absolutely beautiful. We ate quite a bit of it the week of Thanksgiving–as unmolested leftovers, turkey tetrazzini, turkey enchiladas, turkey sandwiches–, but I froze the rest in packages weighed for individual meals. Tonight I used one of the freezer packs for my personal favorite of turkey leftovers, turkey hash.
It was really cold here today (for the Ozarks), and I wanted something warm and filling. Turkey hash fits the bill. It’s turkey, onions, celery, potatoes, and turkey stock cooked together with herbs and served over buttered toast. Mmmmmm. It’s not pretty, but it’s a wonderful blend of holiday flavors, pure comfort food.
For two+ servings, you’ll need:
- 1 yellow onion, chopped fine
- several stalks of celery, diced small
- three to four red potatoes (three large, 4 medium), diced large
- fresh or dried poultry-friendly herbs (rosemary, sage, thyme)
- one to two cups of turkey stock (chicken broth okay if you did not make stock)
- 1/3 pound turkey (about the equivalent of two decks of playing cards), diced large
- good buttered toast (I used some good oat bread I bought through Conway Locally Grown)
Begin by putting the chopped onions in a heated heavy sauce pan with oil and/or butter sufficient to coat the bottom of the pan. I used a 2-quart cast iron Lodge Dutch oven because it’s ideal for long simmering without sticking.
Sautee the onions until they just start to color.
Now add the diced celery. Stir to combine and cook some more over low heat while you dice the potatoes.
Add them too. Now dice the chicken. Add it.
Stir some more. Get a little “brown” flavor on everything. Now add the stock, about one cup to start. Stir well. Add either dried or fresh herbs. I added a fresh sprig each of rosemary and sage. I removed both after I finished cooking everything.
Cover and simmer for at least half an hour, preferably a bit longer, like an hour.
If you want it a little thicker, sprinkle on potato flour.
Mmmmmmmmm. It smells like Thanksgiving all over again, only it didn’t take hours to make!
Add salt, pepper, and other herbs to taste. Serve by heaping ladles over buttered toast. No, it’s not pretty, but it’s oh so yummy and comforting.
[…] Merry Christmas! We are visiting family outside the Ozarks tonight, but we are getting snow here and expect to find snow at home too. A white Christmas is always a beautiful gift! I want to wish all of my readers a merry Christmas. Thank you for visiting the blog! If you, like so many Americans, are suffering from financial losses, may you remember that this holiday is about love, not stuff you buy from stores or trinkets you hang on your tree. I hope you’ll enjoy holiday-friendly ideas and recipes like Christmas lettuce, breakfast casserole, grits casserole, chocolate-chip gingerbread, turkey gravy, turkey brine, and turkey hash. […]