Leftover Turkey Mac and Cheese
Nothing says the holidays quite like a big feast meant to be shared by family, friends, and everyone that are close to you, but with such a feast comes with a big question: What to do with all of those holiday leftovers?
Take that Thanksgiving turkey for example, sure it’s easy to build up a turkey sandwich, but a good chef knows how to take humble ingredients and transform them into something extraordinary, that is why I wanted to take some of that turkey goodness and transform it into a unique mac and cheese that will get even your pickiest eaters begging for seconds.
I could tell you about all of the wonderous things that will be loaded into this dish, or I could just get right the actual recipe. After all, that’s what you browse a recipe blog for, right? Not a whole life story about how mac and cheese has impacted my life. Wait, you do want to read about that?…next time.
Serves 4
Salt
2 tbsp olive oil
2 leeks, dark green part removed, white and light green part cut into thin quarter moons
Freshly ground black pepper
8oz elbow macaroni or any pasta you have
4 tbsp unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 tbsp flour
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded white cheddar cheese
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
5 oz baby spinach leaves
2 cups chopped cooked turkey (This also works great with store bought rotisserie chicken)
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil.
In a medium saucepan, heat up the oil over medium heat then add the sliced leeks. Season the leeks with salt and pepper, then cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are golden all around. Take the leeks out of the pot and set aside.
Once the leeks are done and the water is boiling, add in the pasta and cook according to the package directions for al dente, or 8-10 minutes.
In the same pot used for the leeks, add the butter and garlic. Once the butter is melted, let it sizzle for a bit to infuse with the garlic, then add the flour and whisk for about 30 seconds to cook out the raw flour taste.
Slowly add the milk about 1/2 cup at a time, making sure to whisk until it thickens before adding more, and cook for a few minutes or until it becomes a nice thick sauce. Add both cheeses and whisk until melted and incorporated. Taste and season the sauce with salt and pepper until you like it.
When the pasta is done, place the spinach at the bottom of your strainer, then pour the water and pasta over it to cook the spinach instantly. Finally, combine the pasta and spinach with all of that cheesy sauce, the leeks, and the turkey. Give everything a stir and cook for another minute to heat up the turkey, then you’re ready to serve!
