My Grand Theory of Leftovers

Any dish can be repurposed! But there are rules.

Hello! I hope all my American readers had a relaxing and filling Thanksgiving. I have zero Thanksgiving traditions. except that I must consume a slice of pumpkin pie in the 48 hours surrounding the day, if not on the day itself. My only non-negotiable. I also grew up vegetarian, so a meat-free Thanksgiving is not uncommon for me. I like to treat the holiday as an excuse to try a new showstopper. In years past i’ve baked biryani inside of a squash (which is now in my cookbook) or made the saag paneer lasagana aka Lasaagna (also in my cookbook).

This year, I decided to make a timpano on a whim, having never made one before. I know the general rule of thumb (and just general common sense) says to never try a new and complicated dish when you need to feed 8 people, but honestly I love the rush of not knowing if it’s going to work out. Thankfully it it did! To many ooohs and ahhhs. I served it with a big leafy green salad with the brilliant miso poppyseed dressing, roasted carrots and chickpeas tossed in harissa and honey with a base of greek yogurt whipped with feta, and my favorite appetizer of a block of cream cheese topped with mango chutney and served with almond crackers. I got a pumpkin pie from Lodge Bread Co to found it all out.

That is all to say that I don’t have the traditional thanksgiving leftovers, but I do have a fridge full of things I need to use up! So here is my theory: All leftovers can be turned into one of five things, depending on how wet the food is. From best for wet leftovers to best for dry leftovers you have: congee, a fritatta, lasagna, quesadilla (or a grilled cheese), and nachos.

Photo by Nicolas Barbier on Unsplash

The WETTER the food, the best it is being transformed into a congee. If you have anything that is broth like, even a tomato soup, that thinned out with a little more water or broth makes for a great base. Any additional, dryer, ingredients can be used as toppings for the congee.

A Fritatta is also great for when you have a liquid-heavy leftover, though it’s best to use something that is more stew-like in consistency. Easy to weave and ribbon that through eggs. Think: bowls of chili, left over butter chicken or saag, fideos, chili, even left over gravy!

If I am not turning leftovers into a frittata or congee, I am often transforming them into a lasagna (it’s how my idea for a saag paneer lasagna even came about), by combining the leftovers with bechamel or ricotta or cottage cheese to give it extra oomph. I love a cross cultural left over lasagana! Mapo Tofu lasagna? Birria lasagna? Sign me up. For post-thanksgiving, I imagine one layered with turkey, mashed potatoes, lots of cheese, and any leftover greens one might have.

If a lasagna is too much work, and there is no super saucy component, I like to transform my leftovers into a quesadilla (or grilled cheese). Everything tastes better ensconced in melted cheese. It’s the most neutral of options, too, and my main go-to for using up a leftover sauce, leftover cooked veg, and leftover proteins. Do not be afraid to go carb-on-carb tho! A mac-and-cheese grilled cheese is unhinged and absolutely delicious! Same with a potato stuffed quesadilla!!

The final boss is nachos. Perfect for drier leftovers, things that are easy to scatter and distribute. It’s a great vechicle for any leftover sauces too that go with the dish. I saw someone make thanksgiving nachos with shredded turkey and veg, blanketed with melted cheese, and topped with dollops of cranberry sauce and drizzled with leftover gravy instead of salsa or hot sauce. I love to make rajma nachos (also in my book) and drizzle it with red and green chutney.

Basically a little melted cheese solves all??

What do you like to do with your leftovers?