Food Stuff

I love to try new foods, but when it comes to Thanksgiving, I’m a rank traditionalist. I like stuffing made with white bread (OK, sometimes with sourdough), and I don’t want to see sun-dried tomatoes in the mashed potatoes or a persimmon-chipotle glaze adorning the roast turkey. But when it comes to leftovers, I can be persuaded to branch out a little, which is why, after a couple of turkey sandwiches, I generally strip that carcass bare of meat and turn the leftovers into turkey enchiladas—the perfect way of reawakening the taste buds. I like them with a tangy tomatillo-based green enchilada sauce, plus some strips of roasted poblano chilies, topped with crumbled queso fresco or melted Monterey jack cheese. An extra dish of them freezes well for later. In fact, I like them so much that they’ve become the kind of Thanksgiving tradition that I would be loath to change.