Far be it from me to pooh-pooh the second most hallowed feast of the holiday season: the post-Thanksgiving turkey sandwich on white bread slathered with mayonnaise. Nothing finer has been concocted, unless of course, you smear on some leftover congealed gravy, too.

But once that turkey sandwich is polished off, you really don't want to see another one until next year. You are ready to move on to something all together different — a big, fat enchilada, perhaps, or a pot pie or soup.

Chefs and foody types look at turkey leftovers as great grist for their creative mills.

In the upscale California enclave of La Jolla, Marine Room Executive Chef Bernard Guillas loves a turkey sandwich as much as the next fellow, but he's not content until he has dressed it up in a tangy Tangerine Cranberry Marmalade mixed with cream cheese and toasted almonds.

San Diego chef Deborah Scott also goes gaga at Thanksgiving, one of her favorite holidays. Leftovers are just an extension of the good times.

"It hasn't gotten out of hand like Christmas," Scott said. "It's a holiday where the family gets together to share a meal and be thankful for what they have. Everyone brings something to the table."

Scott recently taught a Native American Thanksgiving class, and her rapt audience learned how to brine and roast a turkey, then finish it off with a serrano chile glaze. She likes to keep the festive food going by incorporating all the flavors of the main meal into leftovers — such as her Turkey en Croute — for the days to come.

"It's just a little bit different than the open-face turkey and gravy sandwich," Scott said. "It's a way for people to use all that leftover turkey, and the mashed potatoes, too."

Chef Miguel Martinez craves a simple turkey soup in the days following the feast. "It's a healthy twist, and it's something anybody can make," Martinez said. "There's nothing complicated about it. And it's light and easy to eat."

Janet Little, nutritionist for Henry's Farmers Market, is all about taking it light and easy the day after gorging on gobbler. Her Turkey Enchiladas are a great example of how to break free from the calorie-laden ennui and use up leftovers in a healthy and flavorful fashion.

"Name it, claim it and move on," Little said matter-of-factly of the Nov. 22 repast. "Recognize that you over-indulged on Thanksgiving, and start making up for it with healthy leftover dishes."

TURKEY EN CROUTE

Canola oil

1 red onion or leek, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons flour

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 pounds sliced, cooked turkey

2 pounds mashed potatoes

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup gravy, heated

Yields 6 servings.

Place enough oil for deep-frying in a deep-fat fryer or deep skillet, and heat to 350 F. Dust onions or leeks with flour, and season with salt and pepper. Drop in oil and fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towel. Reserve.

In 6 casserole or oven-proof dishes about 3x6 inches, place the turkey, shingling slices, to cover bottom. Cover turkey with mashed potatoes. Top potatoes with the reserved fried onions.

Place a rectangle of thawed puff pastry over each casserole dish, pressing the edges of the pastry to the outside edge of the dish. Trim any excess pastry, and reserve. Vent top of pastry so that some steam can escape during baking.

Using any remaining puff pastry cut out leaves. Melt butter and brush top of pastry. Place leaves on top of pastry, and brush them with melted butter.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until puff pastry is golden brown. Let rest for 15 minutes, and serve with heated gravy.

— San Diego chef Deborah Scott.

TANGERINE-CRANBERRY TURKEY SANDWICHES

Tangerine-Cranberry Marmalade:

4 tangerines

1 (12-ounce) bag fresh cranberries

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped

1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Sandwiches:

1 cup cream cheese, softened

1 cup Tangerine Cranberry Marmalade

1/4 cup almonds, slivered, toasted

6 sourdough buns, croissants or your favorite bread

1 to 1/2 pounds leftover turkey meat

1 head red-leaf lettuce

2 cups arugula sprouts

Yields 6 servings.

To make Tangerine Cranberry Marmalade: Peel tangerines. Remove white pith from peels and tangerine flesh. Set flesh aside and sliver enough peel to make 1/4 cup. Place peel in a large non-reactive saucepan with cranberries, brown sugar, vinegar, ginger, cinnamon stick and pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until liquid is slightly reduced and the cranberries burst. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Segment tangerines. Cut off inner edge of each segment, removing seeds. Add tangerines to cranberry mixture. Bring to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes, until thickened, stirring often. Remove cinnamon stick.

To make sandwiches: Blend cream cheese, 1 cup of Tangerine-Cranberry Marmalade and the almonds in a large bowl. Split buns or croissants in 1/2. Spread cream cheese-cranberry mixture on bottoms. Top with turkey. Add lettuce and sprouts. Top with other 1/2 of bun or croissant.

Chef Bernard Guillas of The Marine Room.

TURKEY SOUP

4 tablespoons butter

2 cups diced onions

2 cups diced celery

2 cups diced carrots

6 cups chicken stock

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

8 cups diced cooked turkey

Yields 4 to 6 servings.

Melt butter in a large pot. Add vegetables and saute for 15 to 20 minutes. Add chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add turkey and cook for 5 minutes more.

— Chef Miguel Martinez.

TURKEY ENCHILADAS

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 to 4 cups shredded cooked turkey

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons coriander

Salt and pepper

1 1/2 cups canned enchilada sauce

8 corn tortillas

1/2 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese

Cilantro, scallions and chopped tomatoes, for garnish

Yields 4 servings.

In a small pan, heat oil and saute onion and garlic until tender. Place in a bowl. Add turkey and combine with cumin, coriander, salt and pepper. Add 6 tablespoons of enchilada sauce to moisten.

Microwave tortillas on high for 30 seconds to make them pliable. Place remaining enchilada sauce in a shallow bowl. Coat bottom of a 13x9-inch pan with a ladle of sauce. Dip each tortilla in enchilada sauce in bowl to coat lightly. Spoon 1/4 cup turkey mixture onto each tortilla. Roll tortillas around filling. Place in the pan seam-side down. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and cheese.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake enchiladas for 15 minutes. Garnish with cilantro, scallion and chopped tomatoes.

— Janet Little, certified nutritionist for Henry's Farmers Market.

Caroline Dipping writes about food for The San Diego Union-Tribune. Contact her at caroline.dipping@uniontrib.com.

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