What to do with your Thanksgiving leftovers, according to José Andrés

For the cornbread (or use leftovers)

• 1 8½-ounce box cornbread mix, such as Jiffy
• 1/2 cup canned corn (or frozen and thawed)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
• 1/3 cup half and half
• 1 large egg
• Kosher Salt
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh sage leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

For the bechamel:

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup diced sweet onion, such as Vidalia
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 4½ cups whole milk
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• Kosher salt

For the filling:

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chopped cremini mushrooms
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• Kosher salt
• 2 cups chicken or turkey stock
• 3/4 cup pearl onions, peeled (or leftover creamed onions)
• 1 cup frozen peas (or leftover roasted veg)
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 2 cups chopped leftover turkey meat (white and dark meat)
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 tablespoon minced fresh sage leaves
• 1/2 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

🌽 To make the cornbread, preheat the oven to 400°F.

• Combine the cornbread mix, corn, sour cream, egg and 1/4 cup of the melted butter in a bowl and mix into a batter. Season to taste with salt.
• Combine the remaining 1/4 cup of melted butter with the sage and thyme and set aside.
• Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper. Spread the cornbread batter in the pan and cook for 20–25 minutes until golden and a cake tester comes out clean. Remove the cornbread from the baking pan and set on a rack to cool. Once cool, cut into 1-inch cubes.
• If the herbed butter has solidified, warm again until melted and then toss the cornbread cubes with the butter in a mixing bowl. Season to taste with salt and set aside.

🥛 To make the bechamel, melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the onions and cook until translucent, 5–8 minutes.

• Add the flour and cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture (roux) is golden in color and bubbling, about 5 minutes.
• Gradually pour in half of the milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming, then whisk in the remaining milk.
• Bring to a boil, continuing to whisk, and cook until the bechamel is smooth and thick, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the white pepper and nutmeg, and season to taste with salt. Remove the sauce from the heat and set aside.

🥧 To make the filling, heat the olive in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat until just beginning to smoke.

• Add the mushrooms, thyme and bay leaf and sear the mushrooms, stirring after about 45 seconds.

• Continue to sauté, stirring occasionally until mushrooms are browned, about 2 more minutes.
• Remove from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Heat the stock in a medium pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Add the pearl onions and cook until just tender, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the onions from the pot to a mixing bowl and allow to cool.

• Return the stock to a boil and add the carrots and cook for 2 minutes, then add the frozen peas.
• Allow the stock to return to a boil and cook until peas and carrots are tender, about 2 more minutes.
• Strain the peas and carrots, reserving the stock. Once the pearl onions are cool enough to handle, slice them in half.

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Remove the bay leaf and thyme springs from the sautéed mushrooms and discard.

• Add the mushrooms, onions, peas and carrots to a large mixing bowl. Add the bechamel sauce, turkey meat, 1 cup of the reserved stock, Worcestershire sauce, minced sage and thyme, and mix until well combined.
• Stir in a few tablespoons more of the reserved stock if the mixture is too thick. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer the mixture to a large cazuela (10–12 inches) or Dutch oven and heat in the oven for 20–25 minutes until hot and slightly bubbling.

• Carefully remove the cazuela from the oven and increase heat to a high broil. Cover the top of the hot turkey mixture with the seasoned cubes of corn bread, then return the cazuela to the oven and broil for about 5 minutes, until golden brown.