A COOL COMEBACK : Artful disguises for the cold leftover Thanksgiving bird can range from a simple sandwich given a touch of class to an elegant pate suitable for a holiday party.

The day after turkey day is the easy one. Few are unwilling to repeat the Thanksgiving meal in its entirety at least once, even if smaller portions are in order. It’s after the second go-round that the Thanksgiving menu begins to lose its appeal. That’s when artful disguises for the faithful bird are in order.

Assuming that you have, of course, followed all the cardinal rules of food safety and removed the stuffing from the turkey and refrigerated it and the bird separately, this is the time to whet your knife and carve the bird down to manageable size. It’s also a good time to be sure there is room in the freezer to freeze meal-size portions of all leftovers. The real fun begins when you try to figure out what to do with all the food so carefully and efficiently stashed away.

Not to worry . . . we have some out-of-the-ordinary suggestions that will conceal quite well the fact that Thanksgiving is being recycled for the third or fourth time.

Something as simple as a leftover turkey club sandwich can be served to brunch or luncheon guests with total elan when you try it our way. We replaced the usual bread with airy slices of crispy puff pastry, combined thin slices of turkey breast with avocados and tomatoes for color and added a tangy watercress mayonnaise for flavor. It’s still a turkey club; but if you call it a Turkey Napoleon, it not only sounds more elegant, it makes a smashing light entree.

For a cocktail buffet or simply for something classy to serve when a few friends drop by, a Turkey Mousse Pate is the answer. This is the perfect way to use all those messy little bits and pieces of turkey that you otherwise might simply toss into a soup pot. Tiny hard-cooked quail eggs are hidden in the pate as a delightful surprise for an unsuspecting nibbler. But the best part is that if you don’t tell anyone that this is a Thanksgiving leftover, no one will ever guess it.

Less unusual a use for the recycled bird is turkey salad. Ours is no ordinary turkey salad, however. The chunks of turkey--both white and dark meat--are tossed with tangerine segments, green grapes, toasted cashews and pomegranate seeds in a tangy honey-lime-ginger-flavored dressing. The seasonal ingredients and the compatible blend of textures and flavors make the salad a culinary masterpiece eminently suitable for a holiday celebration.

See how easy it is to hide leftovers when one’s imagination is turned loose? Who knows, if you run out of leftover turkey, you just may want to rush out and buy more in order to try these and some of our other suggestions for serving the Thanksgiving star one more time.

TURKEY NAPOLEONS

1 (1-pound) package frozen puff paste sheets

Watercress Mayonnaise

8 to 12 slices cooked turkey breast

8 slices tomato

8 slices cooked bacon

1 avocado, peeled, seeded and cut into 8 slices

Watercress sprigs

Unroll puff paste sheets. Cut each sheet into quarters. Bake according to package directions or until puffed and golden. Remove to wire rack to cool.

To prepare Napoleons, lightly spread 4 puff paste quarters with Watercress Mayonnaise. Top each with 2 or 3 slices turkey, 2 slices tomato, 2 slices bacon, 2 slices avocado and several sprigs watercress. Spread small amount Watercress Mayonnaise on bottoms of 4 remaining puff paste quarters and place them, mayonnaise side down, on sandwiches. Makes 4 Napoleons.

Watercress Mayonnaise

1 egg

1/4 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 cup olive oil

1/4 cup watercress leaves

In blender container, combine egg, mustard, salt and lemon juice. With blender on, slowly add olive oil until mixture thickens and emulsifies. Add watercress leaves and continue blending until mixture is smooth and creamy. Makes about 1 cup.

TURKEY MOUSSE PATE

6 cups ground cooked turkey

1 cup minced celery

1/2 cup minced onion

1/2 cup minced sweet pickle

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons tarragon mustard

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon minced tarragon leaves

2 envelopes unflavored gelatin

3 cups turkey or chicken broth

Salt

White pepper

6 to 8 quail eggs, hard-cooked and peeled

Chopped toasted almonds

Assorted crackers

Combine turkey, celery, onion, pickle, mayonnaise, mustard, garlic and tarragon leaves. Sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup broth in small saucepan. Heat just until gelatin is dissolved. Blend gelatin mixture into remaining 2 1/2 cups broth. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Stir broth into turkey mixture, blending thoroughly. Pour into lightly greased 8-inch-square dish. Press quail eggs into turkey mixture in random pattern, just until they are completely concealed. Smooth top of pate, cover with foil or plastic wrap and chill.

To serve, turn pate out onto serving platter and press chopped almonds around edges. Cut into slices and serve on crackers. Makes about 32 servings.

ORIENTAL TURKEY SALAD

4 cups cubed cooked turkey

1 cup sliced celery

1 cup seedless green grapes, halved

4 tangerines, peeled, seeded and sliced

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

Honey-Lime Dressing

1 cup toasted cashews

Romaine leaves

Toss together turkey, celery, grapes, tangerines and onions. Set aside 1 tablespoon pomegranate seeds for garnish and add remaining seeds to turkey mixture. Toss turkey mixture with Honey-Lime Dressing and chill, covered, until serving time.

When ready to serve, toss mixture lightly with cashews and spoon into salad bowl lined with romaine leaves. Garnish with reserved pomegranate seeds. Makes 8 servings.

Honey-Lime Dressing

1/2 cup honey

2 teaspoons prepared mustard

1 teaspoon grated lime peel

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 small clove garlic, crushed

1/4 teaspoon celery seeds

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Salt, pepper

In small bowl, combine honey, mustard, lime peel, lime juice, oil, garlic, celery seeds and ginger. Blend well with whisk and season to taste with salt and pepper.

TURKEY STUFFED BRIOCHE

1 (1-pound, 4-ounce) can crushed pineapple

1 tablespoon syrup from pineapple

1 tablespoon warm water

1 envelope dry yeast

2 eggs, beaten

2 1/3 cups sifted flour

1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon butter or margarine, melted

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed

Turkey Filling

1 1/2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Light Lemon Mayo Sauce, optional

Drain pineapple very well, pressing excess syrup from fruit with back of spoon. Reserve syrup. Combine 1 tablespoon syrup with water and yeast in large mixing bowl and let stand 5 minutes. Measure 1/2 cup well-drained pineapple and add to yeast mixture. Reserve rest of pineapple for filling.

Combine 1 teaspoon beaten egg with 1/2 teaspoon syrup and set aside. Add remaining eggs to yeast along with 1 cup flour and beat well. Add 1/4 cup melted butter, salt and dill weed. Gradually blend in remaining 1 1 /3 cups flour to make soft dough. Cover and let rise in warm spot until doubled, about 1 hour.

When dough has risen, punch down and divide in half. Place half in greased 8-inch springform pan and with floured hands pat dough out gently to cover bottom of pan and to extend about 1 inch up sides of pan. Spoon Turkey Filling over dough in pan, mounding it slightly in center. Pat remaining half of dough out on floured board to circle about 9 1/2 inches in diameter. Place over filling in pan and tuck it gently down between edge of bottom dough and pan. Smooth top of dough, patting level. Brush top lightly with remaining 1 teaspoon melted butter. Let rise until light to touch, about 45 minutes.

When ready to bake, lightly score top of brioche into 6 wedges with sharp knife. Brush with reserved beaten egg and syrup mixture and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Place pan on baking sheet on lowest rack of oven set at 400 degrees. Immediately reduce heat to 375 degres and bake 45 to 50 minutes or until golden brown. If brioche begins to brown too deeply, cover with loose sheet of foil during last 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on rack in pan. Serve with Lemon Mayo Sauce on side. Makes 6 servings.

Note: If preferred, brioche may be served warm with hollandaise sauce.

Turkey Filling

Reserved drained crushed pineapple

1 cup chopped cooked turkey

2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

1/3 cup chopped green onions

1/3 cup chopped celery

2 tablespoons chopped sweet pickle

2 tablespoons chopped pimientos

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 teaspoons prepared mustard

1/4 teaspoon seasoned black pepper

Salt

Combine pineapple, turkey, eggs, green onions, celery, pickle, pimientos, cheese, mayonnaise, parsley, mustard and seasoned pepper. Season to taste with salt. Makes about 3 cups filling.

Light Lemon Mayo Sauce

3/4 cup light mayonnaise

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons catsup

2 tablespoons minced onion

Combine mayonnaise, lemon juice, catsup and onion, blending well. Makes about 1 cup.

ELEGANT TURKEY TERRINE

13 asparagus spears

3/4 cup thinly sliced carrot rounds

2 bunches spinach

2 tablespoons unflavored gelatin

2 cups chicken broth

5 cups finely chopped cooked turkey

1 cup light mayonnaise

1 cup chopped green onions

1/4 teaspoon white pepper

Few drops garlic juice or 1 small clove garlic finely minced

Salt

Fresh Tomato Sauce

Cook asparagus and carrots separately in steamer or small amount boiling water just until tender-crisp. Plunge into cold water to stop cooking, drain and chill. Wash spinach well, discard stems and cook briefly just in water that clings to leaves. Rinse in cold water, drain well, chop and chill.

Sprinkle gelatin over chicken broth in saucepan. Let stand until softened. Heat, stirring, over low heat until gelatin is dissolved. Pour 3/4 cup gelatin mixture into oiled 9x5-inch loaf dish. Chill until gelatin is partially set.

Arrange 5 asparagus spears and 12 carrot slices in attractive pattern over chilled gelatin. Chill until set. Combine remaining gelatin mixture with turkey, mayonnaise, onions, white pepper and garlic juice, blending well. Season to taste with salt.

Pat 1/3 of turkey mixture evenly over vegetables in loaf pan. Pat spinach along long sides of dish and arrange remaining carrot slices down center. Top spinach layer with another 1/3 of turkey mixture. Arrange remaining asparagus spears over turkey layer and top with last 1/3 of turkey mixture, patting it evenly to corners of loaf pan. Cover and chill until set.

Serve, sliced, with Fresh Tomato Sauce. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Fresh Tomato Sauce

6 large ripe tomatoes, peeled and seeded

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon tarragon leaves, minced

Salt

White pepper

Puree tomatoes in food processor or blender. Blend in olive oil, lemon juice and tarragon. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Chill. Makes 5cups.

TURKEY NOODLE SALAD

4 ounces vermicelli, cooked and drained

1 1/2 cups shredded cooked turkey

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

2 tablespoons chopped pimiento

1/4 cup minced onion

Sweet and Sour Dressing

1 cup bean sprouts, rinsed and drained

1 cup shredded lettuce

2 tomatoes, peeled and cut in wedges

Combine vermicelli, turkey, green pepper, pimiento and onion and toss with half of Sweet and Sour Dressing. Chill thoroughly. At serving time, toss noodle mixture with bean sprouts, lettuce, tomatoes and remaining dressing. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Sweet and Sour Dressing

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

2/3 cup oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup sugar

Dash cayenne pepper

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 cup tomato puree

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Combine vinegar, oil, salt, sugar, cayenne, garlic, tomato puree and sesame seeds in jar. Cover and shake to blend. Makes about 3 cups dressing.

MOLDED TURKEY SALAD

1 (6-ounce) package lemon gelatin

1 1/2 cups hot water

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon minced shallots

2 teaspoons prepared horseradish

2 cups sour cream

1 1/2 cups diced cooked turkey

1/3 cup diced celery

1/3 cup diced unpeeled cucumber

2 tablespoons chopped pimiento

2 tablespoons chopped green pepper

Dissolve gelatin in hot water. Cool slightly.

Stir salt, mustard, paprika, shallots and horseradish into sour cream. Blend sour cream mixture into cooled gelatin and chill until mixture begins to set.

Fold turkey, celery, cucumber, pimiento and green pepper into gelatin. Spoon mixture into oiled individual molds and chill until firm. Unmold onto lettuce leaves and garnish with tomato wedges. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Food Styling by Minnie Bernardino and Donna Deane