Recipe: What to do With Your Memorial Day Leftovers

from bonappetit.com

Barbecue food is the best food. Grilled meats, charred vegetables, salads that make liberal use of mayonnaise and questionable use of the word “salad.” Plus, pie! Oh, the strawberry, blueberry, rhubarb, and cherry pie… But once the coals cool, then what? You’re left with a heaping fridge full of grilled chicken, sausages, and more slaw than anyone should ever have on their person at one time. But don’t despair! You’re not relegated to eating it all cold, straight from Tupperware containers.

Bon Appétit digital food editor Dawn Perry has some ideas for giving your leftovers a bit of love.

Grilled Chicken
Leftover chicken is one of the most versatile barbecue leftovers you’ve got to work with, so embrace it. “The key with chicken is to keep it moist,” says Perry. For that, fats are your friends; no one would be mad at you for melting a little cheese over shredded chicken; tacos and burritos make perfect sense here. But if you’re going to go cheeseless, keep the meat cold or at room temperature, so it doesn’t dry out. We like this recipe for grilled chicken tacos with cilantro, avocado, and radishes.

Grilled Sausage
Here’s where you have a little more wiggle room with the art of the reheat. Think breakfast with this one: Sure, you can chop up leftover sausage and add it to an egg scramble, omelet, or frittata, but if you want to get creative, slice a full link in half lengthwise and crisp it, cut side-down, in a pan. It’s lovely on a salad or eaten with fried eggs and toast.

Grilled Vegetables
Leftover grilled vegetables straight from the fridge aren’t totally appealing. “Their texture is just not…great,” says Perry (we say “slimy”). One of the most classic leftover veggie treatments is in a sandwich, so if you’re going to go that route, at least warm them from their refrigerator chill. Plus, Perry once again vouches for the importance of melted cheese: it helps bind a veggie panini, for example. You can also make a frittata with leftover vegetables, but if you’re going to put them in a raw salad, make sure you chop them into bite-size pieces. Perry explains why: “Nobody wants to dig into a salad and come up with a whole soggy spear of asparagus on their fork.” Indeed. ”Nuts,” she adds, “are awesome with grilled veggies, too.”

Get more leftover tips and tricks from bonappetit here.

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