touche, souffle.

since getting married and moving to guam, i've been a little apprehensive about making the turkey for thanksgiving this year. it's just one of those things that new wives always worry about, i think...making sure that the turkey isn't dry like hell. so, i did a little research and decided to brine the damn thing for a few days. and not only that, i decided to also do my mother's bourbon ham. over-achiever much? lol.

to be fair though, we had a few people coming over and i was worried that i wasn't going to have enough turkey. it doesn't look like it, but that turkey is just a little bit bigger than a large chicken. being over ambitious, i also did a cool little appetizer plate that sadly did not get the attention it deserved...i guess it was just a little too fancy for this crowd. *sigh* oh, to be an entertainer.... :'( (oh, and of course, guess who forgot to take the gizzard bag out? urgh...damn you, gizzard bag!!!)

seriously though, after the thanksgiving ordeal, we had plenty of leftovers. the following days have been consisting of ham sandwiches, turkey enchiladas (yum!), and some creative cooking. as the leftovers started dwindling down, one thing that i really wanted to try was my mother's turkey casserole.

i remember when she first started making it about ten years ago that there would never be anything left on the plates. she's the kind of gal that collects recipes as a hobby and she pulled this little gem from a magazine clip from 1979. it's homey and a little bit classy, and definitely hails from old school that was delicious back then as it is still now. and what an awesome way of finishing off the turkey in the fridge!

Souffle-Topped Turkey Casserole
(from Family Circle Magazine, November 20, 1979)

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
1/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp fresh ground pepper
Dash cayenne
2½ cups milk
2 cups cubed cooked turkey
1 tbsp butter or margarine
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/4 pound mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
2 eggs, separated

Make the Sauce:
Melt the 1/4 cup butter in a medium-size saucepan; stir in flour, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Cook 1 minute. Pour in 2 cups of the milk; heat, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens and bubbles. Continue cooking and stirring 3 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Measure 1/2 cup sauce into a medium-size bowl; reserve.

Make the Filling:
Add turkey and remaining 1/2 cup milk to sauce in pan. Melt the 1 tbsp butter in skillet; saute onion, celery, and mushrooms just until soft, about 5 minutes. Combine with turkey. Spoon into bottom of 6- to 8-cup shallow baking dish. Bake in a moderate oven (375 degrees) for 5 minutes or until bubbly around the edges.

Make the Souffle and Finish the Casserole::
Stir Parmesan cheese into reserved sauce. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time. Beat egg whites in small bowl with electric mixer until stiff but not dry; fold into yolk mixture. Remove baking dish from oven; spread souffle mixture over turkey. Return to oven and bake 30 minutes longer or until puffed and brown. Serve at once. Makes 6 servings.