Turkey Jambalaya

Now that Canadian Thanksgiving has passed, most people have turkey leftovers for at least a week. Here’s a new twist on what to do with all that leftover meat. This recipe was originally submitted by Kelly Donlea from Suite 101.com. She’s one of the contributing writers to that network. Thanks Kelly, it’s a great dish to make!

Serves 6-8
1 lb. leftover holiday turkey, cubed
1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
3 – 6 cloves garlic, minced (amount to taste; I like lots)
4 ribs celery, chopped
2 small cans tomato paste
1 28 ounce can tomatoes
8 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 bay leaves
Salt to taste
4 cups long-grain white rice, uncooked

In a sauté or frying pan, sauté diced turkey meat in salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper until just warmed through. In a large pot, sauté the onions, garlic, peppers and celery in oil until onions begin to turn transparent. In the same pot, add the tomato paste and let it brown a little.

Once the vegetables are translucent deglaze the pan with the about 2 cups of the stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to mix up any browned bits, and stir until smooth, making sure the sautéed vegetables, paste and stock are combined thoroughly.

Add the remaining seasonings, tomatoes and salt to taste. Cook over low-medium heat for about 10 minutes. Add the turkey and cook another 10 minutes. Add the rest of the stock, and stir in the rice, combining thoroughly. Cook for about 20-25 minutes, or until the rice has absorbed all the liquid and is cooked through. Turn the heat down to low-medium and let the sauce thicken up a bit, with the pot uncovered, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Stir thoroughly to combine all ingredients.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: The cayenne pepper I have is quite strong so I only used 1 teaspoon and there was sufficient heat. I added the turkey in with the tomatoes as I find this tends to keep the meat moist. Turkey leftovers never tasted so good! Cheers!