Turkey Shepherd's Pie

 Put the Thanksgiving leftovers to good use in a one-stop-shop pie for dinner. The dough can be made a day ahead and kept in the fridge or stored in freezer for up to a month. 

Dough
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flout
1/2 tsp kosher salt
6 Tbsp vegetable shortening, cut into pieces & chilled
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces & chilled

Turkey & Assembly
3-4 cups roasted turkey, shredded
1 cup of leftover gravy
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
2 cups of leftover mashed potatoes (or mashed sweet potatoes)
half & half, for brushing

Mix flour and salt in a large bowl with a fork to combine.  Add shortening and butter and toss to evenly coat.  Use two forks to smash butter and shortening, pressing into dry ingredients until some pieces are flat & thin, and a few large & chunky. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of ice water over mixture and stir with a fork.  Knead dough gently in a bowl until it comes together.  

Turn dough onto a work surface and knead 1 or 2 more times, pressing to incorporate shaggy edges.  Press into a disc about 1 inch thick.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill 1 hour in fridge.   

 To assemble:  let dough sit at room temperature for 5 minutes and then roll out on a lightly floured surface to a 10-1/2 to 12 inch round.  Place dough in a 9-inch pie pan or a 10-inch cast iron skillet (you want dough to be 1-1/2 inches wider than pan).  Allow dough to fill pan and crimp edges as desired.  

Arrange meat evenly in dough and cover with gravy.  Mound potatoes over meat.  Using a wet knife or spoon, spread to edges, covering meat completely.  Create decorative ridges in the potatoes with a fork, if desired. Sprinkle with paprika.

Brush dough with half & half.  Bake pie until crust is golden brown, 35-45 minutes.  Let cool 15 minutes.  Serve with cranberry sauce!  

Poached & Roasted Turkey

This turkey recipe ensures juicy meat and a crackling brown skin by following a traditional process from Bresse, the French capital of poultry. It involves first poaching the bird, then roasting it the next day.

1 quart turkey stock
4 medium carrots, roughly chopped
3 onions, thickly sliced
1 head of garlic, peeled
butter, or duck fat (if available)
organic turkey, 14-16 lbs
salt & pepper


Combine the stock, carrots, onions and garlic in a stock pot large enough to hold the turkey.  Fill it with water up to half-way.  Bring to boil over medium-high heat.

While the stock heats, rinse the turkey and, starting at the neck, carefully seperate the skin from the breast and upper thighs with your fingers, being careful not to tear the skin.  Rub butter or fat all over the outside, in between the skin and flesh.  Truss the turkey.  (This is note mandatory, but makes it easier to handle the bird later.)

When the stock begins to boil, generously season it with salt and pepper.  Add turkey to pot and adjust heat so it simmers.  Cover the pot with a lid and make sure the turkey is submerged.  Simmer for 40 minutes, then remove pot from heat and let turkey slowly cool to room temperature in the broth, up to 4 hours.  Refrigerate turkey still in pot.

The next day, preheat oven to 475 degrees F.  Take the bird out of the pot, place it on a rack in a roasting pan and roast it in the oven for 30 minutes.  Turn the oven off, leaving bird inside for about an hour. 

When you are ready to eat, the turkey will be perfectly cooked and nicely roasted.  Be sure to strain and save the left-over stock for soup.