After-Turkey-Day Greens and Pasta Salad

Recipe adapted from Food & Wine Magazine

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Serves 4

After the big holiday turkey feast there’s usually turkey left over.  Here’s a really, really tasty salad with lots of good-for-you veggies and a bit of left over turkey that will really satisfy.

1-pound fresh asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces

Olive oil

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Water

5 oz. frozen peas or peas and carrots mixture

8 oz. whole-wheat fusilli or corkscrew or macaroni pasta

½ cup buttermilk

¼ cup mayonnaise

1 ½ Tablespoons Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar

1 large clove garlic, minced

½ sweet onion, chopped (optional)

2-3 cups leftover turkey, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 cups (or a big handful) of fresh baby spinach

Preheat the oven to 400F.  Fill a large pot with water.  Add a big pinch of kosher salt.  Bring to a boil.  When the water comes to a boil, add the pasta.  Cook for about 5 minutes or so.  Add the frozen peas/carrots to the pasta pot.  Cook the pasta and peas/carrots until the pasta is al dente and the vegetables are crisp-tender.  Drain and then put the pasta and peas/carrots in a large bowl.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, as the water is coming to a boil, place the asparagus on a sheet pan.  Drizzle with 1 Tablespoon olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.  Roast the asparagus in the oven for about 15 minutes or until crisp-tender.  Add the asparagus to the large bowl with the pasta mixture.

Add the onion and turkey to the bowl.  Add the spinach. 

While the pasta, peas, carrots and asparagus are cooking, whisk the buttermilk, mayonnaise, vinegar, and garlic together in a small bowl.  Add a sprinkling of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste. 

Pour the dressing over the salad.  Toss the salad and serve right away or chill and serve later.