Turkey, Sweet Potato and Kale Cannelloni -- Naomi's Wednesday After Thanksgiving

The aftermath of Thanksgiving is measured in leftovers. Turkey sandwiches on Monday. Turkey soup on Tuesday. A creative turkey-and-rice dish on Wednesday that I invented from necessity and named "Lowcountry Turkey Bog," which is not a real dish but should be.

Thanksgiving itself was beautiful. The table held six: Robert, James, Carrie, Marcus (James's bookstore friend), myself, and the absent presences. The turkey was golden and moist (Robert did not open the oven). The cornbread dressing was perfect. Carrie's sweet potato pie was Mama's, reproduced with startling accuracy. Her pumpkin mousse was something new — light, delicate, flavored with yuzu, a Japanese citrus that had no business at a Lowcountry Thanksgiving and yet worked beautifully.

Marcus said grace before the meal — unprompted, natural. James looked at me during the prayer. After dinner, Marcus helped me clear the table and said, "Thank you, Mrs. Blackwood. This is the best Thanksgiving I've ever had." He was not being polite. He was being honest. I could tell because his eyes were wet, and seventeen-year-old boys do not allow their eyes to be wet for politeness.

The weekend was quiet — reading, sleeping, the particular torpor that follows a large meal. Robert and I took a walk through the historic district on Saturday afternoon, past the decorated houses and the early Christmas lights, and he held my hand and I let him, and the holding was not dramatic or meaningful in any way that I could articulate, but it was there.

I called Mama. She reported that Thanksgiving at Aunt Patricia's was "fine but the turkey was dry," which is the harshest criticism Carolyn Simmons is capable of delivering. Joy apparently ate three plates of Frogmore stew and fell asleep on Aunt Patricia's couch, and Mama said, "Your sister knows how to enjoy herself," and I said, "Joy is the only person I know who does."

The weekend after Thanksgiving always settles into something slow and soft, and that particular quiet—Robert’s hand in mine, the leftover stillness of a meal that had meant something—called for food that felt like an extension of it rather than a departure from it. I had turkey left, as one always does, and I wanted to do something that honored it without simply reheating it, something with a little more intention. This cannelloni came together the way the best weekend cooking does: unhurried, with what was already on hand, and better than it had any right to be.

Turkey, Sweet Potato and Kale Cannelloni

Prep Time: 25 minutes | Cook Time: 40 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes | Servings: 4–6

Ingredients

• 12 dried cannelloni tubes (or lasagne sheets, rolled)
• 2 cups cooked turkey, shredded or finely chopped
• 1 cup mashed sweet potato (from about 1 medium sweet potato)
• 2 cups kale, stems removed, finely chopped
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, divided
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 2 cups bechamel sauce (store-bought or homemade)
• 1 cup crushed tomatoes or marinara sauce
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Fresh sage or parsley, for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven. Heat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with olive oil.
2. Wilt the kale. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant. Add kale and cook, stirring, for 3–4 minutes until wilted and tender. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
3. Make the filling. In a large bowl, combine the shredded turkey, mashed sweet potato, wilted kale, ricotta, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, the egg, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Mix until well combined.
4. Fill the cannelloni. Using a small spoon or piping bag, carefully fill each cannelloni tube with the turkey mixture. Don’t overfill — leave a little room at each end.
5. Assemble the dish. Spread the crushed tomatoes across the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Arrange the filled cannelloni in a single layer over the tomato base. Pour the bechamel sauce evenly over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.
6. Bake. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling.
7. Rest and serve. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh sage or parsley.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 420 | Protein: 28g | Fat: 16g | Carbs: 38g | Fiber: 4g | Sodium: 540mg