turkey, again?

​Do you still have the remnants of Thanksgiving leftovers in your refrigerator? Is the family tired of eating Turkey? Here’s a thought, Thanksgiving Leftovers Panini. A couple of years ago, I saw this recipe in the Williams-Sonoma catalogue before Thanksgiving. It’s a grilled sandwich that takes all of the Thanksgiving fixing’s and places them between two slices of bread. The recipe suggested rye bread, however, this time I opted for a loaf of pain de campagne from Whole Foods for our sandwiches the other night. 

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​Unfortunately, the chutney called for in the recipe is no longer carried by Williams-Sonoma. Luckily, I purchased a jar before right after the catalogue came out. However, you could use an apple and cranberry chutney, a fig and ginger jam or merely use cranberry sauce on the bread.  I started by drizzling olive oil on the outside of my bread.  Then, I spread cranberry fig chutney on both pieces of bread, followed by a layer of turkey, a slice or two of Swiss cheese, a smear of sweet potatoes with bourbon and brown sugar, a slice of dressing, warm gravy and topped with Brussels sprout and pancetta. After placing the bread on top of the sandwich I carefully transported it over to my panini press.
 
If you don’t have a panini press here’s what you can do. Use a heavy cast iron skillet or whatever type of frying pan you have. Place the sandwiches in the preheated pan. Top the sandwiches with a plate and place a large can of tomatoes, preferably something approximately 28-32 ounces on top. After browning the first side, remove the can and plate, flip the sandwiches over and do the other side. Cook until both sides are golden brown.
 
The sandwiches are warmed through, the cheese is melted and it’s Thanksgiving in each mouthful…delicious!
 
Williams-Sonoma has other turkey panini suggestions, or if you’re feeling creative, use their ideas for inspiration for your own creation. Even changing the bread would make a big difference. I just came from Wegmans where they were sampling cranberry bread, Delicious Orchards makes cheese bread. You get the idea.