MAKING THE MOST OF A ROAST
I love leftovers; in fact, I usually buy a roast larger than I need to assure I have them. The extra expense and oven time are compensated for by the knowledge that the major ingredient of several dinners is ready and waiting. I‘m not talking casseroles, although they certainly have their place, but, with a basic knowledge of pan sauces, an infinite variety of elegant entrees is possible.
With meat so pricy now, it’s to our advantage to consider stretching the roast for the major holiday feast to also cover a small dinner party, the family New Year’s Day dinner, a New Year’s Eve party, or with freezing, another occasion planned for the weeks ahead.
The most popular roasts sold during the winter holidays are turkey, beef and ham-the first two for the actual holiday dinners and the ham for parties. Turkey and ham are the most frequently associated with leftover dishes, because they are more plentiful and easily adaptable. Beef is difficult, first because there usually is less remaining to work with and second, because, other than stew, good recipes are hard to find.
The fact is that rare beef is most tender and flavorful. (Look up the Chef’s Beef Tenderness Hand Chart) To ask for the end cuts of a roast is to request the driest, toughest slices, and the only way to tenderize them is to boil them. Hence the many stew recipes. To maintain the tenderness and flavor of the lovely pink slices of roast beef, they can’t be reheated for presentation. They can be brought to room temperature and finished off with a warm pan sauce, which is the secret to the two recipes below, both rather elegant entrees.
RECIPES
Turkey Also see Nov. 24, 2022 for links to more recipes
HOT CHICKEN (OR TURKEY) SALAD: Serves 6
3 cups cubed cooked meat
1 ½ cups thinly sliced celery
1 small to medium onion diced
(1) 4oz. can stems and pieces mushrooms
¼ cup toasted almond slivers
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise
Salt to taste
2 Tbs. sharp cheese
3 Tbs. butter- melted
½ cup toasted croutons – I like rye bread
Mix first 8 ingredients and put in a greased casserole. Toss croutons with butter and top. Sprinkle with cheese and bake in a preheated 450 degree oven until brown–@ 30 mins.
NOTE: Doubled or tripled, this is an excellent party dish, but it also freezes well, before the toppings are added. So, save time and make extra to have ahead. It’s a five star with my family!
TURKEY WITH WALNUTS (Tetrazzini): Serves 4 Nov. 22, 2018
3 cups cooked cubed turkey or 4 turkey cutlets cut in 1×2 inch strips @ 1 ½ lbs.
1 green bell pepper
2 medium onions in 8ths
4 celery ribs
2 tsp. Soy Sauce
(1) 10oz can chicken broth – divided ¼ cup reserved (This is the Condensed found with the soups, rather than the 14 oz. broths)
2 Tbs. butter
½ cup cream sherry
2 Tbs. cornstarch
½ cup walnut pieces – toasting optional
Salt and Pepper
½ lb. cooked pasta – suggestions orzo or broad egg noodles
Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. If using raw turkey sauté first then add vegetables and sauté until soft .If using leftover add it with the sherry after the vegetables are soft. Add ¾ cup chicken broth and Soy sauce cover and simmer 8 min. Add sherry and cook 1 min more, add cornstarch dissolved in ¼ cup broth and cook 3 min., stirring constantly, until sauce thickens. Serve over pasta and garnish with walnuts.
NOTE; To toast walnuts- place on foil in 350 degree oven for 5 min.
Add more curry, salt and sugar if needed to adjust flavor. Serve over hot rice with chutney on the side.
Enchiladas: Serves 4 Nov.23,2017
(8) 8 inch flour or corn tortillas
8 oz. Ricotta cheese
(1) 4 oz. can green chilies
½ lb. or 1 cup turkey leftovers
6 scallions chopped
½ cup chopped green bell pepper
1 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
½ tsp . red pepper
Cooking spray
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
(1) 20 oz. jar of salsa
If using raw, ground meat, spray a skillet with the cooking spray and sauté the meat over medium heat until no longer pink. If using leftovers, cut them in thin strips about 2 inches x1 inch. In a bowl, stir to combine, Ricotta, scallions, ¾ of the green chilies (Add the rest to the salsa), the green pepper, the red pepper, ½ cup of the Monterey Jack cheese and the meat. Spread half the salsa in the bottom of a 12 x 8 inch ovenproof pan. If using corn tortillas, wrap them in plastic wrap and microwave for 1 min., or until pliable. This step is not necessary with flour ones. Dip the tortillas in the salsa in the pan to soften them to the point that they can be rolled. Spoon the filling down the center of the tortillas in equal amounts, about 3 Tbs. per tortilla and roll it up. Place the rolled tortillas, seam side down, on the salsa in the pan. Pour the rest of the salsa over them, and top with the rest of the Monterey Jack cheese and half the cilantro. Cover and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven 20 min. Uncover and bake 10 min more. Serve from the pan, and pass the rest of the fresh cilantro to garnish.
Ham
Glamorous Ham Casserole: Serves 4 Smoked turkey may be substituted for the ham.
2 cups cooked rice – suggest packaged pre-cooked product, Uncle Ben’s or Zataran’s
2 cups cooked ham in ½ inch dice. About ¾ lb. 3 thick slices from the Deli work fine.
2 eggs beaten
2 plum or small tomatoes in large dice
1/3 cup green bell pepper diced
¼ cup diced onion
1 ½ tsp Dijon or Spicy Brown mustard
1 ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ cup cream sherry
½ cup light cream
½ cup bread crumbs
2 Tbs. melted butter
Paprika and parsley to garnish
The pre-cooked rice packets only take a couple of minutes in the microwave-if you are using leftover rice, or making your own, do not use the minute type.
Combine all ingredients, except last three, in a lightly greased 2 qt. casserole. Stir to mix well. Combine butter and bread crumbs, sprinkle over top. Decorate with parsley and paprika. Bake 350 degrees for 45 min or until nicely browned and bubbly.
Ham Steak with Apricots: Serves 4=Again substitute slices of smoked turkey.
@ 2 lbs. or 2 cups well trimmed slices of ham
(1) 28oz can apricot halves – drained juice reserved
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1 Tbs. butter
Melt butter in skillet over medium heat add ham. Mix apricot juice and sugar and pour over ham.
Continue to cook, stirring and gently turning meat, until slightly browned, and juices begin to thicken, Add fruit and cook only until heated through. Total @ 10 min.
Pear Salad with Walnuts and Blue Cheese: Serves 6-8
3 large, ripe pears, halved, cored and sliced lengthwise or in large chunks-canned ears can be used see NOTE*
1 medium shallot OR 1 small fennel bulb-thinly sliced
1/3-1/2 cup chopped, toasted walnuts
½ cup Blue, Roquefort or Gorgonzola cheese-crumbled
5 oz. mixed greens-bagged baby greens, red or green leaf lettuce, arugula suggested
2 Tbs. walnut oil
Balsamic vinaigrette
Balsamic Vinaigrette
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup olive oil
For individual servings: Plate greens, toss pears with shallot or fennel, if using, top greens with pears, spoon over a little dressing and scatter with walnuts, then cheese. Drizzle with proportionate amount of walnut oil
For a group: Gently toss greens, pears, vegetable, if using, nuts with dressing, in a salad bowl. Sprinkle cheese over top. Drizzle with walnut oil just before serving.
*NOTE: canned pears are fragile so if tossing the salad toss the other ingredients with the dressing, then gently fold in the pears before topping with the cheese.
Pear Salad with Ham, Walnuts and Blue Cheese: Serves 6-8
3 large, ripe pears, halved, cored and sliced lengthwise or in large chunks-canned ears can be used see NOTE*
6-8 thin slices of ham cut in 1 inch x 2 inch strips
1 medium shallot OR 1 small fennel bulb-thinly sliced
1/3-1/2 cup chopped, toasted walnuts
½ cup Blue, Roquefort or Gorgonzola cheese-crumbled
5 oz. mixed greens-bagged baby greens, red or green leaf lettuce, arugula suggested
2 Tbs. walnut oil
Balsamic vinaigrette
Balsamic Vinaigrette
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup olive oil
For individual servings: Plate greens, toss pears with shallot or fennel, if using, top greens with ham, then pears, spoon over a little dressing and scatter with walnuts, then cheese. Drizzle with proportionate amount of walnut oil
For a group: Gently toss greens, ham, pears, vegetable, if using, nuts with dressing, in a salad bowl. Sprinkle cheese over top. Drizzle with walnut oil just before serving.
*NOTE: canned pears are fragile so if tossing the salad toss the other ingredients with the dressing, then gently fold in the pears before topping with the cheese.
Beef
Minute Steaks in Wine Sauce: Serves 4
(8) slices of roast beef
2 Tbs. butter
2Tbs. oil
1 medium onion halved and sliced very thin
2 cloves minced garlic or 2 tsp jarred
1 envelope beef bouillon granules
1 cup water
1 Tbs. cornstarch
¾ cup red wine
2 Tbs. brandy
Ground pepper
Kosher salt
1 tsp tomato paste or Kitchen Bouquet
4 oz. fresh mushroom slices or (1) 4oz can stems & pieces (optional)
Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté onion and garlic about 2 min. Add
everything else but the meat, to the pan. Stir until sauce thickens, about 3 min add salt
and pepper to taste. Add Kitchen Bouquet if the sauce lacks color. Pour hot sauce over room temperature meat and allow a minute to warm.
Beef Stroganoff: Serves 4–The first time I had this was in the Four Season in New York. It was made tableside from sliced fillet mignon, a minimum of other ingredients, and finished with sour cream. For years, no matter where else I ordered it, and in all of the recipes I saw, thin slivers of beef were used, as were tomato paste and even ketchup, and it was served over noodles. Then, recipes more to my liking appeared. This is the result of combining several.
4 Tbs. butter + 1 tsp. (if needed)
(8) slices roast beef
8 oz. sliced fresh button mushrooms
1 small onion diced
½ packet of beef bouillon granules
¾ cup white wine
1 ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. Dijon or spicy brown mustard
1 tsp paprika
1 cup sour cream
Freshly ground pepper
Melt 2 Tbs. butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Working with 4 slices of beef, quickly sear on one side, and then brown for 2 min on the other. Remove to a plate, and repeat with remaining beef slices using the other 2 Tbs. butter. Tent beef with foil to keep warm. Reduce heat to medium and sauté onions about 3 min. until soft, using 1 tsp. more butter, if needed. Add mushrooms and cook another 2 min. until they release their liquid, stirring constantly. Dissolve the bouillon in the wine and deglaze the pan, add the Worcestershire sauce, mustard and pepper. Return beef with any juices to pan to warm slightly, about 1 minute. Plate beef. Stir sour cream into sauce, warm through and serve.
Beef Salad: Serves 4-6-Adapted from allrecipes.com
¾ lb. slices cooked roast beef, well timed in 1 inch by 2 inch pieces
1 red Bell pepper, julienned in 2 inch length pieces
1 small red onion-thinly sliced
Freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese or optionally feta
1 small head-@4 cups –curly green leaf lettuce-torn into bite sized pieces
Dressing
2 Tbs. soy sauce
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs. brown sugar
2 Tbs. toasted sesame oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger2 teaspoons black peppercorns, crushed
Blend soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, sesame oil, garlic, and ginger together in a blender or food processor until dressing is smooth. Set aside. Press peppercorns into sides of beef slices and season with salt. Toss lettuce with the dressing in a bowl; transfer to a platter and top with beef and vegetables, Garnish with cheese.
