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Turkey Tetrazzini and Cranberry Buckle

This is one of my favorite ways to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey. It’s an adaptation of Jamie Oliver’s chicken and mushroom pasta bake recipe (spaghetti tetrazzini), which he says is “really tacky but gorgeous.” It got me thinking about how foods or recipes are as subject to trends as anything else. Chef’s salad, cheese fondue, shrimp cocktail and deviled eggs have all had their day (though I still love shrimp cocktail and deviled eggs). But how could you go wrong with wine and cream? That will never go out of style as far as I’m concerned. What are some of your favorite tacky or untrendy foods?

Turkey Tetrazzini
adapted from Jamie’s Italy by Jamie Oliver

Serves 4

1 oz (20 g) dried porcini mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, finely sliced
12 oz (340 g) button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 cup (240 ml) white wine
2 to 3 cups cooked shredded or diced turkey
1 lb (450 g) spaghetti
2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (200 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
extra virgin olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC).

Put the porcini mushrooms in a bowl and pour over just enough boiling water to cover them (approx. 1/2 cup /120 ml). Put to one side to soak for a few minutes.

Strain the porcini, reserving the soaking water, and add them to a frying pan big enough to hold all the ingredients (including the pasta) with the garlic and fresh mushrooms. Add the wine and the strained porcini soaking water and turn the heat down. Add the turkey to the pan. Simmer gently until the wine has reduced a little.

Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in plenty of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions and drain well. Add the cream to the pan of turkey, then bring to the boil and turn the heat off. Season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add the drained spaghetti to the creamy turkey sauce and toss well. Add three-quarters of the Parmesan and stir well. Transfer to an ovenproof baking dish or nonstick pan, sprinkle with half the remaining cheese and bake in the oven until golden brown, bubbling and crisp. Divide between your plates, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkle with the rest of the cheese before serving. (Alternatively, you could serve this right after adding the drained spaghetti and Parmesan to the creamy turkey sauce and skip putting it in the oven.)

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Cranberry Buckle with Vanilla Crumb
adapted from Rustic Fruit Desserts by Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson

You can keep the leftover vanilla crumb in the freezer for up to 3 months and either use it to make another cranberry buckle or as a fruit crisp topping (or you could just halve the amounts called for here for the crumb topping).

Serves 8 to 12

for the vanilla crumb (makes 2 cups):
1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
1/4 cup (40 g) packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (110 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4‑inch cubes
1 tablespoon vanilla extract

for the cranberry buckle:
1 3/4 cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup (110 g) unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
zest of 1 orange
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (120 ml) sour cream
2 cups (8 oz/225 g) cranberries, fresh or frozen

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter a 9‑inch square baking pan.

To make the vanilla crumb, combine the flour, sugars, salt and butter in the bowl of a food processor or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Pulse or blend until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. Drizzle the vanilla over the mixture and either pulse or mix briefly to distribute the vanilla. Place the crumb mix in the freezer while you prepare the buckle.

To make the buckle, sift the flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.

Using a hand-held mixer or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar and orange zest together on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition, then stir in the vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour cream in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture and scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Fold in half of the cranberries.

Spread the mixture in the prepared pan. Distribute the remaining cranberries over the cake and sprinkle the crumb topping over the cranberries.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until lightly golden and firm on top. Wrapped in cling film, this cake will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.