Turn leftovers into foodie gems

We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are. — Adelle Davis

Good painting is like good cooking; it can be tasted, but not explained. — Maurice de Vlaminck

One of mom’s happiest memories with my Lolo Pepe Reynoso was spending Christmas in Baguio. They would leave on Dec. 19 and do their shopping at Assandra Department store for their gifts, and to the market to buy a live pig, which would be roasted by their caretaker for hours on the empty lot near their house close to Burnham Park.

Christmas fare would include paella, relleno (roast stuffed chicken), callos Madrileña (Spanish tripe stew), pastel de lengua, Chinese ham, Russian salad (beets and potato with tuna and mayo), and frozen fruit salad.

New Year’s Eve was at the country club and lunch at home was giant roast stuffed turkey, which his nine children could not consume in a day (courtesy of lolo’s American friend from Camp John Hay), pancit molo, steamed fish smothered with mayo, pickle relish, bell peppers and chopped hardboiled eggs, more ham, queso de bola with Sunshine Bakery’s huge pan de sal (his favorite, aside from Casa Marcos), roast beef, leche flan, macapuno, and halayang ube cooked by my lola, Tita Leni, mom, Tita Lorrie, and Apong Metyang. To this day mom insists on having the same menu shared by our staff. The holiday season is special and celebrating it with festive cuisine is a fantastic way to welcome the New Year!

A beef encounter: Roast beef

Eating leftovers every day for the next week could prove to be satiating and difficult.

I found that even with leftovers you can create wonderful, creative dishes that can transform into delectable masterpieces. With a little ingenuity and culinary IQ, simple yet exquisite discoveries can be made and shared with loved ones. A dose of good taste, one such dish is turkey hash in a flash, where leftovers are cleverly mixed together to form turkey patties. Turkey meat, stuffing, cooked mashed potatoes and seasoning are combined together, similar to burgers. The patties are then dipped in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs to help keep the ingredients intact and form a crust. When pan-frying the patties, the oil must be hot to ensure that the outside is cooked well while the inside remains juicy. To check if it is the correct temperature, place a wooden spoon or chopstick in the center of the pan — if there are plenty of bubbles it is ready. Cook both sides of the patties until golden in color, similar to hash browns. Use a strainer with napkin to absorb the excess oil. For the bread, Kaiser or hamburger buns are ideal. I like to use romaine lettuce because it gives a nice, smoky flavor and doesn’t fall apart even if stored in the refrigerator. Dollops of mayo or honey mustard are excellent dressings to jazz it up and give it a punch. Cutting it into thin slices and stylishly laying it out on top of salad greens gives a unique twist. Exploring and tinkering with new ideas can develop simple leftovers into foodie gems, thoughtfully conceptualized into a culinary treat that will tickle your palate. 

Easy and delish: Turkey hash in a flash

Turkey Hash in a Flash

A) Mix well in a bowl: 3 cups finely chopped cooked leftover turkey meat, 1 cup leftover turkey stuffing, 2 cups cooked instant mashed potatoes (follow package directions), 1/2 tsp. fine salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper.

B) Form above into 12 patties using a half-cup measuring cup (preferably plastic cups for easier removal).

C) Roll in: 3/4 cup Baron all-purpose flour, then in two beaten eggs mixed with 2 tbsps. water, then in 1 cup Japanese (panko) or any breadcrumbs.

Flatten into 1/4-inch-thick patties.

D) Pan-fry in 1 cup Magnolia Nutri oil until brown on both sides.

E) Serve on romaine lettuce-lined French Baker’s Kaiser buns with a dollop of mayo if desired.

F) Note: above recipe is also good for leftover rellenong manok (roast stuffed chicken).