Savory Turkey and Kale Bread Pudding - or Strata - or Frittata

A Goodbye Autumn Dish

Winter is coming, have you noticed? Today marked the first hailstorm of the season, noisy with a gazillion little white pellets rocketing down from piled stacks of ominous gray clouds. Brrrrrr. I hear the downtown store windows are wonderfully decked out for the holidays, but I'm saving that viewing treat for later in the month. Shopping malls ring with holiday music, even my local groceries rock out the season with carols playing at max volume. Hold on, I'm not ready for this sudden shift from the Fall's laid back pace into the crazy busyness of Christmas. Looming large is the tree decision; fresh, artificial or both? Then there are the lights to deal with, oh joy! Will we visit relatives or celebrate at home with friends? Where are the many boxes of decorations stored How much will I decorate; full-blown throughout the house or tastefully restrained?  Baking, entertaining, shopping, wrapping and mailing presents... aargh! I can still cling stubbornly to the idea of Fall for a few more weeks, but it does feel like Winter has come early.    

"For the Fall of the year is more than three months bounded by 

an equinox and a solstice. It is a summing up without the 

finality of year's end."

- Hal Borland

Sigh, I have to face reality. It's time to toss the gathered leaves, seeds and nuts of Autumn, those fading reminders of the colorful season that ends on December 21. Winter Solstice marks the change in seasons, but I'm still holding on tight to some wonderful memories of this year's Fall events, the vivid colors decorating the neighborhood, the fun activities with friends and family, and months of surprisingly good weather. I'm not yet ready to let go and move on.

On the other hand, I am delighted to move beyond Thanksgiving and the challenge of leftovers. We ate a lot of turkey in various forms, but one last container of turkey lurked in the freezer, testing my creativity and the willingness of RL to consume any more turkey. Okay, fine! ( a favorite phrase that usually means just the opposite) I whipped up a quick something for myself and left him to fix his own lunch. My concoction was somewhere between a savory bread pudding, a chunky frittata and a lumpy pancake. I lean towards the whole Savory Frittata Pancake-Style Bread Pudding title, but I can't say that out loud without laughing. Whatever the label, it was delicious and I relished every bite. I might even make this again on purpose - deli roasted chicken would work quite nicely. What would you name this dish? and what do you do with the odd bits and pieces you find in your fridge and freezer?

SW Savory Turkey, Kale and Everything Bagel Pudding/Frittata/Pancake  

   
2 eggs
1 scant cup milk or cream
dash of hot sauce (Cajun Sunshine or Green Tabasco recommended)
pinch of nutmeg
salt and freshly ground black pepper
a few shakes of smokey paprika (pimenton)
1 cup cooked turkey, shredded
1/2 bunch kale, rough chopped or julienned
1 whole wheat Everything Bagel, cubed
handful of shredded cotija or pepper jack cheese
salsa or parsley/green onion/lemon zest gremolata (optional)

Combine the eggs, milk, hot sauce, nutmeg, paprika, salt and pepper in a medium-size bowl and beat to combine. Add the turkey, kale and bagel cubes; toss to mix thoroughly. Pour the mixture into a greased or buttered pie plate and squish it down a bit. Scatter a handful of cheese over the top and bake at 375 F until heated through and the top crisps and browns a bit, roughly 20-30 minutes. Top with salsa or gremolata or enjoy it as is while you welcome Winter and bid goodbye to Autumn.
   

Couscous Sweet and Tart

I am so used to thinking of couscous as a grain that I forget it is really a pasta, a coarsely ground pasta made from semolina wheat. Pasta is made from ground wheat, couscous is made from crushed; a big difference in the foodie world (link) and (link). No matter in my galley, this versatile item is readily available, easy to store, quick to cook and has a neutral flavor that mixes well with a wide variety of herbs, seasonings, fruits and nuts. Grain or pasta, couscous is a winner.

The quick-to-cook feature came in handy when I had to expand the menu in a hurry to accommodate some extra guests. Here's the drill. Boil water or broth in a saucepan, stir in a bit of olive oil, a handful of chopped dried fruit and the couscous. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and let it stand, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork to break up any lumps and add a few seasonings, chopped fresh herbs, green onions and pine nuts as desired. Toss with a simple vinaigrette of seasoned rice wine vinegar and olive oil and presto! 3 or 4 steps and you're done. This colorful pasta/grain salad is a feast for the eyes and a treat to the taste. While it may never be the star of a meal, it an award-worthy supporting player.

Served warm this might be a side dish for dinner, or add some sliced cooked chicken or shrimp and it's an entree. At room temperature or slightly chilled we enjoy it as a salad or even as a small-bite appetizer. RL loves this couscous preparation at breakfast, heated with some coconut cream and a scattering of coconut shreds. How's that for a versatile recipe?

Couscous Sweet and Tart

Serves 3-4

1 1/2 cup water (or low-sodium broth)
1 teaspoon olive oil or butter
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
1 generous, rounded cup couscous
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (optional)
1/4 cup green Spring onions,white and green sections thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh basil or flat leaf (Italian) parsley, coarsely torn
2 tablespoons mint leaves, coarsely torn
1/4 cup pine nuts (or toasted slivered almonds)
2+ tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar 
4+ tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest

1. Bring the water (or broth) and olive oil to a boil in a medium saucepan; stir in the cranberries, apricots and couscous.
2. Cover tightly and remove the pan from the heat; let stand until the liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.
3. Fluff couscous lightly with a fork to break up any lumps. Add salt and pepper if using, green onions, basil, mint and pine nuts; toss to mix.
4. Sprinkle with almost all of the rice wine vinegar/olive oil and the tablespoon of lemon zest; toss to mix.
5. Drizzle any remaining olive oil/rice wine vinegar mix on top and serve immediately... 
6. ...OR spread evenly on a baking sheet to cool, about 10 minutes.

Notes: 

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days.

Use chilled, heated or at room temperature. 

Add extra dressing and seasonings as needed.