I woke up one day with turkey thigh in the fridge and didn’t want to make the same thing as usual. That’s how I came up with this meat pudding with a crispy topping, which is the kind of recipe you can improvise when you have some cheese on hand. It’s not complicated, but it does require a bit of patience in preparing the meat. Otherwise, things go quickly and come together easily in the dish.
Quick Info
Total time: about 1 hour 30 minutes
Preparation time: 20-25 minutes (preparing ingredients and assembling)
Cooking time: 40-45 minutes in the oven, plus how long the meat boils (30-40 minutes)
Servings: 3-4
Difficulty: easy to medium, depending on experience with boiled meat
Recipe type: savory pudding, suitable for lunch or dinner
Ingredients
300 g turkey thigh (bone-free)
mustard seeds
peppercorns
coriander seeds
200 g mozzarella (shredded on a large grater)
50 g cheese (shredded, large holes)
150 g cream cheese (Almette or similar)
100 g sour cream
1 egg
salt
pepper
herbs de Provence
chili flakes
garlic
green basil leaves
2-3 handfuls of cornflakes (for the crust)
oil (for greasing the dish)
Preparation method
1. Place the turkey thigh in a pot. Cover with water, add mustard seeds, pepper, and coriander, then put on the heat. Boil over medium heat until the meat is tender and can be easily cut with a fork. This takes about 30-40 minutes, depending on how large the pieces of meat are.
2. Remove the meat to a platter and let it cool. When it’s no longer hot to the touch, cut it into suitably sized cubes (not too small, so they don’t get lost in the pudding, and not too large).
3. In a large bowl, combine the shredded mozzarella and cheese. Add the cream cheese, sour cream, and egg. Mix well with a wooden spoon or whisk until you have a homogeneous mixture.
4. Season with salt, pepper, chili flakes, garlic (crushed or grated, as preferred), herbs de Provence, and a few chopped green basil leaves. Adjust the flavors to taste.
5. Finally, fold in the pieces of boiled meat. Mix again, being careful not to crush the meat, but ensuring each piece is coated with the cream and cheese.
6. Grease a heat-resistant dish with oil. Pour the mixture into the dish and level it off gently with a spatula.
7. Cover the surface with a generous layer of cornflakes. Don’t crush them; leave them whole for a crispy crust.
8. Place the dish in the preheated oven at 180°C. Bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until the cornflakes turn golden and the pudding is well set.
9. Let it stabilize for a few minutes after removing it from the oven, then cut into portions.
Why I make this recipe often
It’s a savory pudding that uses what you have in the fridge. It doesn’t require complicated techniques and you don’t need fancy ingredients. I like that you can prepare the meat in advance or use leftovers, and the cornflake crust really changes the texture, so it doesn’t turn out flat or boring. It can be served warm or at room temperature.
Tips and variations
Tips
If you boil the meat in advance, you can save the broth for a soup or to moisten the pudding if needed.
If you want a crispier crust, you can drizzle a few drops of oil over the cornflakes before baking.
Don’t add salt at the beginning when boiling the meat; you can adjust it at the end in the mixture.
Substitutions
Turkey thigh can be replaced with chicken breast or even lean pork, if that’s what you have.
Mozzarella can be swapped for another cheese that melts easily (Gouda, Edam, pizza cheese).
Almette-type cream cheese can be replaced with any natural cream cheese or even ricotta, but the result will be slightly different in taste and texture.
Plain cornflakes, not glazed. If you don’t have them, you can use larger breadcrumbs, but the crust won’t be as crispy.
Variations
You can add green onions or dill for an extra touch of freshness.
Instead of garlic, you can use onion powder if you want a milder flavor.
It can also be made in a larger dish by doubling the quantities if you have guests.
Serving ideas
It’s best served warm, with a simple salad on the side or with grilled vegetables.
For lunch or dinner, it works as a main dish.
It can be packed for work the next day if you like it cold.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use leftover meat from another dish?
Yes, if you have boiled or roasted meat left over, you can cut it into cubes and use it directly. Just be careful that it’s not already too salty or seasoned.
2. What type of sour cream is best?
I used regular sour cream, 12-20% fat. You can also use a lighter one, but the result won’t be as creamy.
3. Can the pudding be frozen?
I do not recommend freezing, especially due to the cheeses and the cornflake crust, which become soggy when thawed.
4. Do I have to use fresh basil?
No, but fresh basil adds a nice fresh flavor. If you don’t have it, you can omit it or replace it with parsley.
5. What can I substitute for cornflakes if I don’t have any?
If you don’t have cornflakes, you can use coarse breadcrumbs or even crushed croutons, but the texture will be less crispy.
Nutritional values
The values are approximate, for one serving out of the 4 produced:
Calories: 400-450 kcal
Protein: 28-32 g
Fat: 24-28 g
Carbohydrates: 15-18 g (from cheeses, sour cream, cornflakes)
Sodium may be high, especially from the cheeses. Proportions vary depending on the cheeses used and how much salt you add.
Storage and reheating
It keeps well in the fridge for 1-2 days, covered or in a container. It can be reheated in the oven or microwave, but the cornflake crust won’t remain as crispy as fresh. Ideally, it should be consumed on the day it is made, but it is still edible later. I do not recommend freezing.
Quick Info
Total time: about 1 hour 30 minutes
Preparation time: 20-25 minutes (preparing ingredients and assembling)
Cooking time: 40-45 minutes in the oven, plus how long the meat boils (30-40 minutes)
Servings: 3-4
Difficulty: easy to medium, depending on experience with boiled meat
Recipe type: savory pudding, suitable for lunch or dinner
Ingredients
300 g turkey thigh (bone-free)
mustard seeds
peppercorns
coriander seeds
200 g mozzarella (shredded on a large grater)
50 g cheese (shredded, large holes)
150 g cream cheese (Almette or similar)
100 g sour cream
1 egg
salt
pepper
herbs de Provence
chili flakes
garlic
green basil leaves
2-3 handfuls of cornflakes (for the crust)
oil (for greasing the dish)
Preparation method
1. Place the turkey thigh in a pot. Cover with water, add mustard seeds, pepper, and coriander, then put on the heat. Boil over medium heat until the meat is tender and can be easily cut with a fork. This takes about 30-40 minutes, depending on how large the pieces of meat are.
2. Remove the meat to a platter and let it cool. When it’s no longer hot to the touch, cut it into suitably sized cubes (not too small, so they don’t get lost in the pudding, and not too large).
3. In a large bowl, combine the shredded mozzarella and cheese. Add the cream cheese, sour cream, and egg. Mix well with a wooden spoon or whisk until you have a homogeneous mixture.
4. Season with salt, pepper, chili flakes, garlic (crushed or grated, as preferred), herbs de Provence, and a few chopped green basil leaves. Adjust the flavors to taste.
5. Finally, fold in the pieces of boiled meat. Mix again, being careful not to crush the meat, but ensuring each piece is coated with the cream and cheese.
6. Grease a heat-resistant dish with oil. Pour the mixture into the dish and level it off gently with a spatula.
7. Cover the surface with a generous layer of cornflakes. Don’t crush them; leave them whole for a crispy crust.
8. Place the dish in the preheated oven at 180°C. Bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until the cornflakes turn golden and the pudding is well set.
9. Let it stabilize for a few minutes after removing it from the oven, then cut into portions.
Why I make this recipe often
It’s a savory pudding that uses what you have in the fridge. It doesn’t require complicated techniques and you don’t need fancy ingredients. I like that you can prepare the meat in advance or use leftovers, and the cornflake crust really changes the texture, so it doesn’t turn out flat or boring. It can be served warm or at room temperature.
Tips and variations
Tips
If you boil the meat in advance, you can save the broth for a soup or to moisten the pudding if needed.
If you want a crispier crust, you can drizzle a few drops of oil over the cornflakes before baking.
Don’t add salt at the beginning when boiling the meat; you can adjust it at the end in the mixture.
Substitutions
Turkey thigh can be replaced with chicken breast or even lean pork, if that’s what you have.
Mozzarella can be swapped for another cheese that melts easily (Gouda, Edam, pizza cheese).
Almette-type cream cheese can be replaced with any natural cream cheese or even ricotta, but the result will be slightly different in taste and texture.
Plain cornflakes, not glazed. If you don’t have them, you can use larger breadcrumbs, but the crust won’t be as crispy.
Variations
You can add green onions or dill for an extra touch of freshness.
Instead of garlic, you can use onion powder if you want a milder flavor.
It can also be made in a larger dish by doubling the quantities if you have guests.
Serving ideas
It’s best served warm, with a simple salad on the side or with grilled vegetables.
For lunch or dinner, it works as a main dish.
It can be packed for work the next day if you like it cold.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use leftover meat from another dish?
Yes, if you have boiled or roasted meat left over, you can cut it into cubes and use it directly. Just be careful that it’s not already too salty or seasoned.
2. What type of sour cream is best?
I used regular sour cream, 12-20% fat. You can also use a lighter one, but the result won’t be as creamy.
3. Can the pudding be frozen?
I do not recommend freezing, especially due to the cheeses and the cornflake crust, which become soggy when thawed.
4. Do I have to use fresh basil?
No, but fresh basil adds a nice fresh flavor. If you don’t have it, you can omit it or replace it with parsley.
5. What can I substitute for cornflakes if I don’t have any?
If you don’t have cornflakes, you can use coarse breadcrumbs or even crushed croutons, but the texture will be less crispy.
Nutritional values
The values are approximate, for one serving out of the 4 produced:
Calories: 400-450 kcal
Protein: 28-32 g
Fat: 24-28 g
Carbohydrates: 15-18 g (from cheeses, sour cream, cornflakes)
Sodium may be high, especially from the cheeses. Proportions vary depending on the cheeses used and how much salt you add.
Storage and reheating
It keeps well in the fridge for 1-2 days, covered or in a container. It can be reheated in the oven or microwave, but the cornflake crust won’t remain as crispy as fresh. Ideally, it should be consumed on the day it is made, but it is still edible later. I do not recommend freezing.