At Verve Culture, we believe that Thanksgiving is first and foremost about recognizing all we have, especially the dedicated artisans who we have the opportunity to partner with and our loyal customers who share our eye for beautiful and authentic craftsmanship. For us, Thanksgiving is an opportunity to sit down with loved ones, slow down from the hustle bustle of work deadlines and homework problems, and give thanks around a lovely holiday table for the relationships all around us.
But as unashamed foodies, we must admit: Thanksgiving is also about the perfectly roasted turkey, the sweet potato stuffing, the pumpkin pie, and perhaps a night cap of authentic Mexican hot chocolate with a splash of our favorite spirit. In short, Thanksgiving is also about the food.
One delightful side effect of a full table with friends and family, each bringing their own signature dish: Leftovers. Extend the excitement of the original feast by dreaming up deliciously creative ways to use them and let nothing go to waste.
Certainly, you can’t go wrong with a turkey sandwich (especially with a touch of leftover cranberry sauce and some stone-ground mustard), but our favorite is a leftover turkey tagine recipe that highlights the savory turkey and sugary sweet potatoes or squash. With this fast and delicious Thanksgiving Leftover Tagine, the flavors of turmeric, ginger, coriander, ginger, and cinnamon give warmth to the sauce, while olives offer a slightly salty pop to perfectly counterbalance the sweetness. Dried fruit, whether you choose apricots or figs, will add even more depth.
Whether you use your more traditional-looking tagine or a more contemporary, monochromatic tagine, you'll serve up a yummy, Moroccan take on Thanksgiving.
Reading this post after the Thanksgiving leftovers are long gone? Use a rotisserie chicken—easy to find at most grocery stores—and your choice of veggies instead! Curious to learn more about tagine cooking? Read more here!
Fast, Delicious Thanksgiving Leftover Tagine
Ingredients
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
4 tsp Ral el Hanout (or 1 tsp each of turmeric, ginger, coriander, and ginger
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp pepper (Use red chile flakes or harissa for extra spiciness.)
2 cups leftover sweet potatoes or squash (Feel free to use other leftover veggies as well.)
2 cups leftover turkey, cut into pieces
1 large tomato, chopped, or 1 tbsp tomato paste
6 dried apricots, figs, dates, or prunes (Or mix it up!)
12 green or black olives
1 cup vegetable or chicken stock (Try making your own stock from the turkey carcass!)
Salt and pepper to taste
Cilantro or parsley for garnish
Rice or couscous, cooked for serving
Instructions
- Sauté the olive oil, onions, and garlic on the tagine base over medium heat until the onions have softened and look translucent.
- Add Ras al Hanout (or turmeric, ginger, coriander, and ginger), cinnamon, and pepper to the tagine, and stir for a couple of minutes until the spices release their fragrance.
- Add leftover vegetables and turkey to the tagine. Stir together with the onions and spices until all ingredients are coated with the spices.
- Add chopped tomato, dried fruit, and olives to the tagine.
- Add the stock to the mixture and cover with the tagine lid.
- Cook for 10 minutes until heated through.
- Taste for seasoning, and add salt and a few grinds of pepper if needed.
- Garnish with sprigs of cilantro or parsley.
- Serve over couscous or rice.
