Casseroles are a great way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers. We combine leeks and eggplant, which are often paired together in Greek cooking, along with fusilli pasta and turkey meat for a comforting, yet healthy dish. We use the Mastiha resin as a spice in this dish.  Although it is optional, it is a fun spice to add to your International pantry, and adds a unique nuance to the dish. See note below for details.

Olive oil (about ¼ cup total)

2 large or 4 small leeks, dark green parts removed

1 medium eggplant

1 clove garlic

2 tablespoons of butter

3 tablespoons flour

2 cups vegetable or chicken broth, boiling

½ cup grated Manchego cheese

200g cooked fusilli pasta

1 ½ cups leftover turkey meat

½ teaspoon ground Mastiha powder* (optional)

Salt and Pepper

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F.
Cut a slit down the length of the eggplant. Peel the garlic and slice vertically into thin slivers. Insert the garlic pieces into the slit in the eggplant and lightly brush all over with a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Bake the eggplant in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until it is completely cooked through and the flesh has shrunken in from the skin. It should look deflated and sink when you poke it with a fork. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, scrape out the flesh into a sieve set over a bowl and drain of the excess liquid. Transfer to a bowl, along with the garlic and a pinch of salt, and fork mash it until it is well blended.

Meanwhile, slice the leeks in half lengthwise. Rinse out the dirt well, making sure to get in between each layer. Slice the leeks in thin strips horizontally across.
Heat up 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sweat the leeks until cooked through and completely soft, seasoning with some salt along the way, about 15 minutes.
You can make the vegetables up to 1 day ahead of time and keep them in the fridge.

Once you have your leeks and eggplant ready, you are ready to put the dish together.
In a medium-sized pot, melt the butter and once it begins to froth a little, add the flour. Stir the flour and butter on medium-low heat for a couple of minutes, without letting it brown, to cook off the flour flavor. This mixture is called a roux.
Slowly pour in the boiling broth, whisking it into the roux as you pour. Once the broth is all in there, keep it at a simmer and let it thicken and reduce slightly. Add the grated cheese, followed by the prepared eggplant and leeks, pasta, and leftover turkey meat. Season with salt and pepper and Mastiha, and stir everything together. Pour into a 9x13 inch casserole dish and top with the grated Parmesan.
Set under the broiler for about 5-10 minutes until the Parmesan melts and browns.

Serves 8-10 people.

* Mastiha is a resin from the island of Chios in Greece. It has a lovely piney/camphoric flavor that goes beautifully with eggplant and leeks. You can purchase it at mastihashopny.com

We here at Kitchen Caravan love the combination of pomegranates, squash, and cheese.  This is a simple pita pizza that incorporates sweet, salty, and sour flavors together in one place.  It is also a great combination of colors: green, orange, and ruby red. If you cannot find Za'atar, you can still pull this recipe off with the pomegranate, squash, and feta. 

2 whole wheat pitas

2 cups cubed fresh pumpkin

2 tablespoons olive oil

Pinch of salt, pepper, and cumin

¼ cup sheep’s milk feta cheese, crumbled

1 tablespoon prepared za’atar*

2 tablespoons fresh pomegranate seeds

1 tablespoon pitted black olives, chopped

Fresh oregano

Toss the pumpkin cubes with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and cumin and roast in a 375°F oven for 20 minutes, or until fork tender.
Remove from the oven, transfer to a bowl and let cool slightly.
Meanwhile, lower the oven temperature to 300 and toast the pitas until crisp, about 10 minutes. Fork mash the pumpkin and spread over the two pitas. Sprinkle over the crumbled feta and za’atar. Bake in the oven for another few minutes, or until the edges are crispy and the cheese has melted.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds, chopped olives, and fresh oregano.

Serves 2.

*Za’atar is a Middle Eastern spice blend made with sumac, wild thyme, oregano, and sesame seeds. To prepare it, simply mix extra virgin olive oil with the dried spices and stir.

This salad combines the rich artichoke flavor of boiled sunchokes, with the crunch of the raw sunchokes.  The dressing is a simple French-style vinaigrette that we toss with the 'chokes when they are still warm.  Brussel sprout confetti adds texture and color, and the sunflower seeds add crunch. 

For the Salad:

2 cups sunchokes, peeled and boiled until tender (about 4-5 large pieces)

1 cup sunchokes, peeled and rinsed

3-4 brussel sprouts
½ shallot, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons sunflower seeds, lightly toasted

For the Vinaigrette:

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon apple cider or white wine vinegar

Juice of ½ lemon

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper (four pepper blend or white pepper are recommended)

Make the vinaigrette by whisking together the mustard, vinegar, and lemon juice. Season with salt, and then slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking all the time.
Season to taste.

Meanwhile, boil the two cups of peeled sunchokes until just tender, about 10 minutes.
Drain and slice in thin rounds. Slice the remaining 1 cup of raw sunchokes in the same way. Immediately mix with the dressing. Add the shallots and seeds.
Peel the outer leaves off the brussel sprouts, then grate or thinly slice, to create the “confetti” shreds. Add to the salad and toss.
Makes a side for 4 people.