Turkey and Mushroom Risotto
With gratitude in our hearts, a wonderful Thanksgiving is over. I brined the turkey, prepared pie crusts and made rolls ahead of time, with two assistants ready for my command I didn’t have to rush so much - it’s going to be a great day! The scale I stepped on in the morning confirmed my prediction - I lost 2 pounds!
Oh what a beautiful morning
Oh what a beautiful day!
I got a wonderful feeling
Everything’s going my way!
That is all the lyrics I know of the song but I love Hammerstein!
One of my memorable Thanksgiving dinners was in Hawaii in 2006. My husband and I were traveling to Japan and we stopped at my daughter’s place for Thanksgiving. Over 20 people were there at my daughter’s friend’s house. My husband wore his formal - Hawaiian shirt AKA as his casual Friday suit. It was already dark when we sat down at a long table. People are friendly, it was a wonderful meal, my son was serving a mission in Japan and it was our granddaughter’s first Thanksgiving.
I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself what a wonderful world
Isn’t Louis Armstrong great?
The color of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do
They’re really saying I love you
OK, that’s enough of singing, back to my post - What do you do with all the leftovers? I bought the smallest turkey in the store and halved the recipes yet what’d ya know? We ended up with relics of Thanksgiving. Although I desperately wanted to be away from the kitchen the day after the feast, I must re-purpose.
I’m really lucky to have a sous-chef husband. He stepped up and made this risotto featured in November 2012 issue of ‘bon appetit’ magazine so that I can leisurely watch Kimutaku’s new drama on the computer, that’s ‘Priceless’ (title of his new drama).
First –Make stock
- 3 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 turkey carcass, broken into pieces
- Water to cover (12 –14 cups)
Put everything in a large stockpot. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 3-1/2 hours. Strain. Discard solids. Let cool, then cover and chill. Makes about 9 cups. This stock will keep chilled for 3 days or frozen for 3 months.
Turkey and mushroom risotto –modified a tiny bit
- 8 cups turkey stock
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 2 cups assorted fresh mushroom (photo shown chanterelles, trumpet king mushroom, shiitake). You may substitute with white button mushrooms.
- 2 cups Arborio or carnaroli rice
- 1 cup shredded leftover turkey meat (optional)
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 Tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Bring stock to a simmer in a medium pot over medium heat. reduce heat to low. Cover and keep warm.
- Melt 3 Tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium heat until it begins to foam.
- Add onion. Sauté, stirring occasionally until onion is soft and translucent.
- Add mushroom. Cook stirring occasionally until soft, 4-6 minutes.
- Add rice. Sauté for 3-4 minutes.
- Add 1 cup warm stock. Stir constantly until liquid is absorbed.
- Add 1 cup of stock at a time until rice is tender but still firm to the bite.
- Add shredded turkey if you’re using. Stir to warm.
- Add more stock or water if necessary to keep mixture creamy.
- Stir parmesan and remaining 1 Tablespoon butter into risotto.
- Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with chopped parsley.
Our Thanksgiving started with simple salad. Apple cider vinaigrette was good! 
My son’s job this year was to make the green bean casserole – same as last year. 
Grilled turkey sandwich was delightful too-cream cheese in place of mayo.
Forgotten on the corner of counter, the Chinese yam (長いも) sprouted. I’m lost on what to do with this now.
I’m sooo not going to step on the scale for a while.
