Leftovers: How to Make Turkey Pho

Thanksgiving has come and gone…now what to do with all the leftovers? Since one can only eat so many turkey-and-stuffing sandwiches, we were intrigued by a recipe for turkey pho from chef Graham Mitchell from the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in Boulder. Mitchell recommends using the leftover turkey carcass to make a stock, and then adding shredded turkey meat, spices, rice noodles, fresh basil and cilantro, and sliced jalapeños. In short, a little extra effort and creativity can yield a dish—in this case, a Vietnamese-style one—that no longer a rehashes the same flavors.

Other options: Follow chef Wylie Dufresne‘s lead and turn leftovers into a breakfast hash, or make Bon Appétit‘s Thanksgiving nachos.

Turkey Pho

(serves 6)

Turkey Stock

1 turkey carcass, broken into pieces

2 cups yellow onions, medium dice

1 cup carrots, medium dice

1 cup, celery, medium dice

6 garlic cloves

2 bay leaves

5 quarts water

Simmer all ingredients for 2 hours.

Pho Broth

1 yellow onion, halved and charred on a grill

1/2 ounce ginger root, unpeeled and charred on a grill

1 gallon turkey broth

2 tablespoons fish sauce (3 Crab is Mitchell’s preferred brand)

1/2 ounce palm sugar (if available, otherwise use cane sugar)

2 cloves

2 black cardamom pods

Char the skins of the onion and ginger until they soften lightly and become fragrant. Remove any charred portions. Add all ingredients in a stock pot and gently simmer for 45 minutes.

Pho Assembly

1 pound thin rice noodles, soaked in hot water for 20 minutes

leftover turkey, shredded or chopped

1 onion, julienned

4 green onions, sliced thinly

2 cups bean sprouts

10 Thai basil sprigs

10 mint sprigs

10 cilantro sprigs

2 jalapeños, sliced thinly

2 limes, cut into 6 wedges

To enjoy this dish, keep broth simmering while preparing the bowls. With a strainer, dip noodles into hot broth to soften. To individual bowls, add noodles, turkey, sliced onion, and green onion. Ladle broth into each bowl. Serve with a communal plate of sprouts, Thai basil, mint, cilantro, jalapeños, and lime.

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