Ah, Thanksgiving. I love the planning, the cooking, the gathering, and, of course, the leftovers! I pretty much hunker down for the long weekend subsisting on all the goodies in the refrigerator. You might even catch me in my pajamas for the entire time. I definitely do not step outside the house – not even for Black Friday madness. Why do I want to subject myself to that sort of mayhem in person when I can do it online? And cooking? Let’s just say that the only appliance in heavy use is the microwave oven. But, admittedly, platefuls of the same can get tiresome.
When the weather gets cooler, I make risotto quite often. It is a highly adaptable dish as long as you have the basic elements covered:
1) A flavorful broth or stock.
2) Medium-grained rice, like arborio. Long grain rice does not have enough starch to attain that risotto creaminess, a desired characteristic. Short grain rice is a little too glutinous so will give you a more gluey consistency.
3) Aromatics. Your onions, carrots, shallots, herbs, etc. These should be sautéed and cooked before you start cooking the rice. It adds another layer of flavor to the risotto.
Once you have that, you can stir in whatever you like towards the end when the risotto is pretty much done or al dente. A couple of pats of butter and Parmesan cheese is de rigeur. If I’m feeling really extravagant, I’ll add a few drops of truffle oil. This recipe is a great way to use some of your leftover Thanksgiving turkey. And if you have leftover risotto, you can always make arancini de riso!
Turkey and Caramelized Onion Risotto #SundaySupper
Ingredients
- 7-8 cups chicken broth
- Olive oil
- 2 medium sweet onions thinly sliced
- 1 large shallot thinly sliced
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 1/2 cup arborio rice
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups cooked turkey chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the sliced onions until they are browned and caramelized, about 10-15 minutes. Set aside.
- In a medium-sized saucepan and over medium-high heat, bring the chicken broth to a simmer. Bring heat to low and keep warm.
- Heat 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed large saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the shallot until softened and translucent. Add a pinch of salt and a few grinds of freshly ground pepper. Add the rice and stir until rice is coated with oil and turns translucent, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the white wine and stir until all the liquid has been absorbed. Lower heat to medium to medium-low to keep the rice at a low simmer, never to a boil.
- Add about a ladleful or 1/2 cup of the chicken broth. Stir until liquid is mostly absorbed. Repeat until the rice is al dente (firm, but not crunchy) and has reached a creamy (not sticky or gluey) consistency, about 35-40 minutes. Don't fret if you have leftover broth.
- Take the rice off the heat. Stir in the caramelized onions, chopped turkey, butter, and Parmesan cheese. Serve right away.
Sunday Supper is sharing inspiring recipes using Thanksgiving leftovers! This is always a post-holiday challenge and I hope these recipes give you some great ideas. Thank you to our Jennie of The Messy Baker Blog for hosting this event! Here is the lineup of great recipes by our Sunday Supper crew.
Breakfast:
Cranberry Sauce Muffins by The Foodie Army Wife
Leftover Stuffing Breakfast Strata by Ruffles & Truffles
Sweet Potato Casserole Muffins by Magnolia Days
Turkey & Chorizo Breakfast Hash by Brunch with Joy
Italian Mashed Potato Pancakes by The Weekend Gourmet
Cranberry Sauce’d Corn Bread Muffins by Rhubarb and Honey
Main Dish:
Leftover Pie by Jane’s Adventures in Dinner
Thanksgiving Leftover Waffles by Foxes Love Lemons
Stuffing Hash by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
Turkey Pizza by Meal Diva
Turkey & Caramelized Onion Risotto by kimchi MOM
Turkey with Creamy Mushroom Marsala Sauce by Casa de Crews
Moroccan Turkey Stew by What Smells So Good?
Peruvian Cilantro & Turkey Soup by The Little Ferraro Kitchen
Turkey & Butternut Squash Stew by Cooking Chat
Turkey Kreplach Soup by Panning the Globe
Turkey & Stuffing Crepes by Peaceful Cooking
Cranberry Apple Pecan Chicken Salad by NeighborFood
Herbed Turkey over Cornbread Waffles with Cranberry Sauce by girlichef
Creamy Peanut Gochujang Pasta by Wallflour Girl
Cranberry Sweet Potato Soup by Take A Bite Out of Boca
Turkey Enchilada Pasta Bake by Curious Cuisiniere
Turkey Orzo Risotto by Family Foodie
Turkey Croquettes by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Side Dishes:
Cheesy Mashed Potato Croquettes by Noshing with the Nolands
Whipped Carrots with Sriracha Butter by Healthy Delicious
Cranberry-Balsamic Glazed Cauliflower Wings by Cupcakes & Kale Chips
Parmesan Mashed Cauliflower and Potatoes by Momma’s Meals
Cheesy Jalapeño Potato Cakes by Bobbi’s Cozy Kitchen
Sandwiches:
Cranberry & Turkey Sandwich by The Redhead Baker
Monte Cristo Sandwich by Nik Snacks
Hot Brown Turkey Sandwiches by The Life and Loves of Grumpy’s Honeybunch
Sprouted Grain Turkey, Cranberry & Brie Panini by Amee’s Savory Dish
Turkey Cranberry Flatbread by Peanut Butter and Peppers
Condiments & Sauces:
Cranberry Vinaigrette by Nosh My Way
Leftover White Wine Syrup by Food Lust People Love
DIY Yellow Mustard by The Texan New Yorker
Dessert:
Banana Cheesecake with Pecan Graham Cracker Crust by Desserts Required
Cranberry Cream Cheese Bars by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Gluten-Free Lemon Cake by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Spiced Cranberry Sauce Buckle by The Wimpy Vegetarian
Cocktails & Drinks:
Cranberry Orange Crush by The Messy Baker
Cranberry Bellini by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter on Sunday! We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm ET. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. To get more great Sunday Supper Recipes, visit our website or check out our Pinterest board.
Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here: Sunday Supper Movement.
