Turkey a la King

This thrifty recipe for turkey a la king accomplishes two things—it converts leftover Thanksgiving turkey or yesterday’s rotisserie chicken into a sauce laden, comforting dish, and allows kids of all ages to slurp down bite sizes pieces of tasty food, complete with cleverly hidden vegetables, no knife necessary.

A throw back to the 1950’s, New York Times food editor Sam Sifton updates the traditional version I remember from my mother’s table with some flashy ingredients like sherry. Serve this crowd pleaser over steaming hot rice or toast!

INGREDIENTS

6 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 3/4 cup chicken or turkey stock

2 cups sliced mushrooms, ideally wild, approximately 4-6 ounces

1 1/2 cups chopped cooked turkey (or chicken)

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 cup frozen peas

2 tablespoons dry sherry

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Finely chopped parley for garnish

PREPARATION

In a small sauce pan melt 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. When it’s bubbly, sprinkle in the flour and continue to cook and whisk until flour turns straw colored, a few minutes.

Slowly add one cup of the stock, stirring continuously. Thin with additional stock if needed. Keep warm.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons of the butter to a large skillet and sauté mushrooms over medium-high heat until they begin to brown—about 10 minutes, tossing halfway through.

Add the turkey, warm sauce and cream, and stir to combine. Add the peas, then cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is hot and has thickened slightly, 7-10 minutes.

Stir in the sherry, adjust seasonings and serve garnished with parsley on toast or rice.