There’s nothing quite like a turkey feast with all the fixings. And it’s always nice to have the leftovers. Beyond making sandwiches, whipping up a homey potpie is a great way to use turkey dinner leftovers. And if you don’t have leftovers, no problem—you can make this anytime you’re craving the taste of the holiday table but don’t have time to roast a turkey and prepare all those side dishes, notes cookbook author Molly Stevens, who contributed this recipe to Real Food. See the Cook’s Note below for directions so you can make this whenever the mood for cozy comfort food strikes in the coming months.
Turkey Potpie with Sweet-Potato Biscuits
Makes 8 servings
Filling
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 large leek (about 2 c.), white and pale green parts trimmed, washed, and chopped
2 celery stalks, cut into 1⁄2-inch dice
2 large carrots, cut into 1⁄2-inch dice
1 tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1⁄8 tsp. nutmeg, freshly grated salt and pepper to taste
2 c. diced parsnip or celery root
1 c. button mushrooms, halved or quartered
6 tbsp. all-purpose flour
3 c. low-sodium chicken broth
4 c. cooked turkey meat, chopped or shredded
1⁄2 c. cream or half-and-half
1 c. frozen peas, thawed
1⁄4 c. flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Biscuits
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sugar
1⁄2 tsp. baking soda
1⁄2 tsp. fine-grain salt
1⁄4 tsp. black pepper
1⁄4 tsp. paprika
6 tbsp. unsalted butter,Ӭ cut into small pieces and chilled
1⁄2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 c. mashed sweet potato, chilled
1⁄2 c. buttermilk, or more as needed
For the filling: Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add leek, celery, carrot, thyme and nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook about 8 minutes, until vegetables are almost tender. Add parsnip and mushrooms, stir, and cook uncovered 2 minutes.
Sprinkle in flour, stirring to incorporate evenly. Gradually add 1 cup broth, stirring gently, until thickened. Stir in remaining broth, turkey, and cream. Bring to a gentle simmer. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Remove from heat and stir in peas and parsley. Let cool slightly before proceeding. This recipe can be made ahead until this point, cooled, covered, and refrigerated up to 2 days.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pour turkey and vegetables into dish.
For the biscuits: Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, baking soda, salt, pepper, and paprika in bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times to mix. Add butter and cheese, and pulse again until mixture looks pebbly with small oat-sized lumps. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
Whisk sweet potato with 1⁄3 cup buttermilk until very smooth. Add to biscuit mixture, stirring with a rubber spatula just until roughly combined and dough comes together. Add buttermilk as needed if dough seems dry. Avoid over mixing.
Using a large spoon, drop dough onto turkey filling in 8 biscuit-shaped mounds. Use back of a fork to flatten and shape biscuits. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until biscuits are nicely browned and filling is bubbling hot. Let sit 10 minutes before serving.
Cook’s Note
No leftovers? No worries. If you don’t have holiday leftovers, you can still make a delicious potpie. Here’s how: Place 11⁄2 pounds boneless, skinless turkey meat (thigh, breast or cutlet) in a saucepan and cover with chicken broth. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, partially cover, and adjust heat so bubbles barely break the surface. Poach turkey until just cooked through and an instant-read thermometer registers 170°F, anywhere from 10 to 25 minutes depending on cut of turkey. Remove turkey and let cool. When turkey is cool enough to handle, chop or shred into bite-sized pieces. Reserve broth and use for potpie. For the biscuits, place 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 pound) on a piece of foil and roast in a 400°F oven 45 to 60 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel and whisk to purée.
Nutrition info Turkey Potpie with Sweet-Potato Biscuits (Per Serving): Calories 559 (227 From Fat); Fat 26g (Sat. 15g); Chol 129mg; Sodium 657mg; Carb 51g; Fiber 5g; Protein 31g
