Creamed Turkey

This recipe for turkey leftovers is really a sauce to serve over saffron rice or hot pasta such as fettuccine. You could even serve it on toast or muffins by reducing the sauce until it thickens. Don't boil it though, the eggs and flour will thicken it.

This is what you need for 4-6 (depending on how much pasta/rice you cook):

• 500g of cold turkey, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 500mls of leftover gravy
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1tbs coriander (cilantro) or flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 2 cups frozen peas
• 50g butter
• 1.5 tbs plain (all-purpose) flour
• 375mls full cream milk (you could use evaporated)
• 2 eggs, beaten
• salt and pepper to taste

Melt 20g (just under half) of the butter in a skillet and stir in the onion. Cook it until soft and then stir in the coriander, turkey and frozen peas. Heat through, season with salt and pepper and keep warm.

Now make the sauce by melting the remaining butter in a pan and stirring in the flour. Cook this mix while stirring for two minutes, remove from the heat and stir in the milk. Return the mixture to the heat and bring to the boil while stirring. When the mixture thickens, turn down the heat and cook for a further 2 minutes.

This bit is important - take the sauce off the heat completely and briskly stir in the eggs. I use a balloon whisk for this. From this point on the mixture should not be allowed to boil again or the eggs will curdle.

Now stir in the turkey mix, adjust the seasoning and serve.

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