Many would argue that the best part of the Thanksgiving meal is not actually the meal itself, but rather the leftovers. And I tend to agree. Roasted turkey can make some of the best sandwiches going. The traditional ‘day after’ version tends to include a good slather of cranberry sauce and, in extreme cases, even a layer of stuffing.
But having an ample amount of such a versatile protein on hand can also provide an exciting opportunity to think outside the box. There are websites that focus exclusively on different types of turkey sandwiches. My Home offers a diverse list of simple but tasty looking recipes, including a Turkey Melt, Turkey B.L.T., Turkey Philly, and a Turkey Caesar Wrap. Eat Turkey goes one step further, including great photos with each item. Recipes on this site tend to be quite elaborate, requiring many steps and long lists of ingredients, though the results do look inspiring. Neal Stewart of Turkey Sandwich Neal photographs and then eats the turkey sandwiches he orders from various restaurants and delis all over the United States….. and never seems to tire of them. He even has a list of his Top 10 restaurant served turkey favs.
My sandwich for the day explores the Tex-Mex arena. This Chipotle Turkey Sandwich with Jalapeno Slaw came to be after I spotted the homemade bbq sauce sitting in our fridge. Rebarbecue Sauce comes from Victoria’s famous Rebar Restaurant. Lucky for us, the Rebar- Modern Food Cookbook was published back in 2001. It shares hundreds of easy to follow recipes, allowing us to recreate at home the same fantastic food served up at their bright and funky Bastion Square eatery. I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting to cook delicious, healthy food at home, especially if they have a minimal cookbook collection (and would like to keep it that way). It’s definitely a ‘keeper’.
This sauce is great to have on hand in the fridge, and also freezes beautifully, should you want to make a large batch. Consider putting some in a jar, making your own label, and bringing it as a hostess gift the next time you are invited to a dinner. I predict you will be invited back again. Of course, it is not essential to make this sauce in order to achieve sandwich excellence. There are heaps of prepared sauces available, should you wish to shorten your prep time.
Tex-Mex Turkey Sandwich (with BBQ Sauce + Slaw)
Serves 2
4 slices of your favourite bread, lightly toasted
2 servings of turkey meat, roughly shredded
1/2 c Rebarbeque sauce (more, if desired)- see recipe below
1 c jalapeno slaw- see recipe below
mayonnaise (about 2 T)
Put the turkey in a small pot, along with Rebarbeque sauce. Warm at lower temperature, until heated through. Put mayonnaise on one side on each sandwich. Divide the turkey mixture onto the other 2 slices of bread. Top with slaw and the first 2 bread slices. Serve immediately.
Rebarbecue Sauce
Yields 2 cups (480 ml)
1 c apple cider vinegar
1 t coriander seeds
1 t mustard seeds
1 1/2 t whole cloves
4 allspice berries
4 cardamon pods
2 T vegetable oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 c brown sugar, firmly packed
2 T molasses
2 T soy sauce
2 T chipotle paste
1 x 5 1/2 oz can tomato paste
1 bottle dark beer
1. Combine vinegar and whole spices in a small pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer until the liquid is reduced by half (about 15 minutes). Strain out the solids and cool.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet and saute the onion until golden, adding garlic halfway through. Sprinkle sugar into the pan and when it melts, add the remaining ingredients, including the vinegar. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, or until the sauce is thick and glossy. Season to taste.
3. Cool and puree the sauce until smooth. Refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.
Jalapeno Slaw
Makes just over 1 cup
1 c green or purple cabbage, thinly sliced
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1/2 c red pepper, thinly sliced
2 pickled peppers (preferably jalapeno), thinly sliced
1/4 c fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
Dressing:
2 T oil of your choice
1/2 lime, juice + zest
1 t honey
salt and pepper to taste
In a small bowl, mix together the dressing ingredients. Set aside. Put all salad ingredients into a medium size bowl. Combine. Drizzle dressing over salad, only enough to lightly coat. Toss to combine.
