Noshing on Nostalgia: Turkey and Rice Casserole
This past week, I binged The Queen’s Gambit on Netflix. The fashion was amazing and the story was great. And of all things, I was oddly inspired by Alma’s penchant for TV dinners. Given that I had plenty of turkey meat leftover from my solo Natale festivites - this recipe was a nice way to work in what I had in the fridge and taste the nostalgia of American Stouffer’s meals. The nice part about this recipe is that it is flexible - you can use up what you have and it still reheats nicely. Also - its a casserole, so don’t sweat it. If you want to put grated cheese on top, go for it. If you want to add more rice and less meat - all good. Make it your own! The dish has lots of ingredients - take the time to set yourself up, and it will come together fabulously!
Ingredients:
Two tablespoons olive oil
2 cups/ 300 grams of chopped turkey or chicken meat
1/4 cup of chopped onion or shallot(this is one shallot or 1/2 a medium onion)
1 cup/130 grams of frozen peas
1 cup/130 grams of carrot chopped (if you want to use up other vegetables - I’ve tried broccoli and bell pepper and that also works nicely)
1 Tablespoon of chicken broth powder (or one bouillion cube)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried tarragon(optional - I just like tarragon with poultry)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon flour (or oatmeal or whole wheat flour if that’s all you have on hand)
3 Tablespoons of sour cream (or heavy cream or full-fat greek yogurt)
1 1/2 - 2 cups cooked rice (white or brown - either is tasty)
1 cup/250 ml of whole milk ( I don’t recommend skim milk because the sauce will be too runny)
1/4 cup/30 grams of bread crumbs
Directions
Set yourself up for success. In one bowl add the frozen peas and carrot. In another small bowl add the chicken broth powder, thyme, tarragon, garlic powder, onion powder and flour. In the last bowl, add the turkey, rice and sour cream. Keep the other ingredients and the serving dish ready.
Preheat the oven to 350F/175C. Over medium-high heat, start cooking the chopped shallot and olive oil until the shallot gets soft - about 3-4 minutes. Then add the pea, carrot and turkey mix and give it a stir. The peas will cook fully by the end of the recipe - don’t worry! After about 2-3 minutes, add the flour, butter and seasoning mix and let it cook for a minute or two - this is the start of the rue. Add in the milk a 1/4 cup at a time and let it thicken. Once you are happy with the consistency, it will be a little soupy but that’s ok, because the rice and turkey will absorb it. Reduce the heat to low and add the turkey, rice and sour cream and stir. Taste the mix and season with salt and pepper if needed. Next, place the mixture in a dish (I usually use a 9x9 square dish) and spread evenly. Top with the breadcrumbs and bake for 10 minutes until the crumbs brown and the mix is bubbling. Done! This recipe also freezes and reheats well.