While we can never roast or grill a whole turkey without roasting the bones, brewing up a big vat of turkey stock, and then crafting of big pot or two of Bib’s Turkey Bone Gumbo or this clan favorite Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, we’ve just found a new all-time Thanksgiving leftover favorite – these Pepper Jack Turkey Tostadas.
We’ve been on a tostada kick of late, melting all sorts of great melting cheeses onto corn tortilla flats, throwing on some sort of tasty protein, guacamole, and whatever trimmings and toppings seem to fit.
We struck gold with these – somehow the trio of roasted turkey, a nice gooey, melted pepper jack, and a killer guacamole – tied together atop their perch on a crunchy corn tortilla, is simply flavor magic.
To make things even better, these come together literally in minutes, and you can finish them out as simply or as uptown / ‘how much can I load on one tortilla’ as your heart desires (the topping list below should be viewed as the most foundational of starting points).
It’s time to get your tostada game on.
8 crispy tostada flats (see above)
2 cups diced leftover turkey, best half dark/half white meat
2 cups grated pepper Jack cheese (see above), divided
2 tbsp chopped cilantro1 recipe good guacamole (at least one)
Suggested other toppings
Pickled red onion or
Chopped sweet onion
Radish slices
Shredded lettuce
Halved sweet grape tomatoes
Chopped pickled or fresh jalapenos
Crema or sour cream
A nifty salsa
Your favorite taco / tostada hot sauce (Valentina in our camp)
Fire the oven to 350 and stir together the diced turkey, grated cheese, and 2 tbsp chopped cilantro.
Get your toppings of choice together; and dammit, make your guacamole at home.
Foil-line a baking sheet and lay out 8 of the crispy tostada flats, then cover each evenly with roughly 1/2 cup of the turkey/cheese mix. Slide that tray into the oven and give ‘em 5-7 minutes to get melty and bubbling hot (without burning the tostada flats).
Remove from the oven, let cool for a minute and then slide (at least) a couple onto each plate and top with whatever floats your boat. We think the guacamole is essential and should top the melted cheese and turkey, then a bit of everything on the list above, though we can’t imagine these without at least the onion, radishes, cilantro, peppers, and crema.
Enjoy.
