Thanksgiving Leftover Panini with Turkey, Brie and Cranberry Mayo

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

• Brie – Brie is washed rind cow’s milk cheese; it’s a crowd-pleaser cheese. You can add it to a cheese board and its approachable. Everyone knows where they stand on it (though not all Brie is created equal). When buying your cheese for this recipe look for a double cream Brie. Triple cream will be a bit too gooey for the panini (it will ooze out the sides).
• Cranberry sauce – I like to use a whole berry cranberry sauce for this cranberry mayo recipe. Cranberry jelly can be swapped in though I like the texture the whole berries add.
• Brussels sprouts – Look for tight heats of Brussels sprouts with 1-2″ in diameter. Remove any yellowing leaves from the outside of the sprouts. In this recipe I shred the Brussels sprouts using a mandolin though they can be thinly sliced and pulled apart using a knife as well.

How to Make this Turkey Leftover Panini

For the cranberry mayo:

1. Mix the cranberry mayo. In a small bowl stir together the cranberry sauce, mayonnaise and pepper until completely combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

For the roasted shredded Brussels Sprouts:

1. Toss the Brussels sprouts in oil. Preheat oven to 400ºF (200ºC). Toss the Brussels sprouts in the olive oil then season with salt and pepper.
2. Roast. Spread in an even single layer on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Roast until the edges are slightly browned, about 15 minutes.

For assembly:

1. Assemble sandwich. Heat Panini press or skillet on medium-high. Spread the butter on the crusty side of each half of bread. Spread the cranberry mayonnaise on the cut side of each half. Top the bottom half of the bread with the turkey followed by the slices of Brie and Brussels sprouts.
2. Press the sandwich. Close the sandwich and add to the Panini press or skillet. If using a skillet, use something heavy like an aluminum foil wrapped brick to create a press. Let cook until bread is crisp and cheese is melty, about 6 minutes.
3. Cut the sandwich. Cut horizontally and serve warm.

Tips and Tricks for This Recipe

• If you have no leftover roast holiday turkey, substitute deli turkey instead.
• You can either use fresh Brussels sprouts made just for this sandwich or use leftover cooked Brussels and thinly slice them.

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this recipe, I recommend checking out some of these:

• Thanksgiving Leftover Shepherd’s Pie
• Turkey and Wild Rice Soup with Garlic Oil
• Turkey, Apple and Brie Open-Face Sandwich