All content copyright Katrina Hall 2008 through 2025

Friday, November 27, 2009

leftover turkey soup


I hope everyone had a delicious and joyful Thanksgiving ! The kids made THE most wonderful desserts (apple pie, pumpkin-chocolate brownies, and a wonderful cranberry upsidedown cake from an Alice Waters recipe), and an amazing amount of conversation was centered around either food, recipes, or Top Chef favorites. I am so pleased to see two more great cooks carrying on the tradition in our family.
As usual, I'm making the Day After Turkey soup - and I wait all year for this. It's a lovely soothing, hearty ( but not heavy) soup that efficently uses up many of those leftovers.
Today, I'm giving you a general recipe, so you can adjust it according to how much turkey and trimmings you have.
First, I make a quick turkey stock:
Cut the useable meat off the turkey and set aside.
In a stockpot place:
turkey bones and carcass, broken up
a little browned turkey skin
cut up onions
mushrooms
cut up carrots and celery (include some leaves)
thyme
fresh rosemary
bay leaves
Whatever else (small amounts leftover squash, roasted potatoes, etc.)
Cover with water, or part water, part chicken or vegetable stock.
Bring almost to a boil, then simmer for an hour.
Strain the stock and taste. If it's too watery, reduce the stock by simmering until you feel it tastes right.
Add:
Carefully cut up turkey meat ( no bones or tendons, please)
a bag of baby carrots (or more)
a few chopped onions (or more)
sliced celery
salt and freshly cracked pepper
more thyme and rosemary
a handful or so of brown or jasmine rice (or more)
a handful of finely chopped parsley
Simmer until the rice is done and the vegetables are soft-tender. Taste again and adjust seasons, then serve with a little more chopped parsley.
Here is the blessing we read yesterday, with thanks to Ralph Waldo Emerson:
For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.
May this Thanksgiving blessing bloom in your life all year.

8 comments:

Unknown said...

I'm with you -- there's nothing better than turkey soup from the leftovers! I did the same.

http://www.madisonhousechef.com/2009/11/turkey-and-vegetable-soup.html

I'm also glad to see that you used the bones for stock -- what a valuable leftover that often goes unnoticed.

Happy day after Thanksgiving -- aka: Happy Turkey Soup Day.

Madison House Chef
www.madisonhousechef.com

katrina said...

Love it, Denise : today is Happy Turkey Soup day! Forget Black Friday and go straight to a steaming bowl of turkey soup ! Thanks for the link to your delightful turkey soup with corn & veggies, and that beauitful photo of a huge stockpot full of flavorful stock. Yum, yum.

La Table De Nana said...

There is nothing more comforting..Yours looks delicious..I too wish you a warm holiday season.

Barb said...

Yummmm!- homemade soup! This looks wonderful! Sounds like you had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family - which is just how it should be.

katrina said...

Thank you, Nana. My American Thanksgiving Day was a delight, and I'm still glowing. Wonderful to have my children and granddaughter sharing the day. And the soup? I shared with neighbors and passed along the goodness.

katrina said...

How was your Thanksgiving, Barb? I dearly hope it was as wonderful as mine - family and good food - who could ask for anything more?

Michelle said...

OH MY...your turkey soup looks so good and tummy warming! Wish I had a bowl full right now!

katrina said...

Thanks, Michelle! Oh my. I've tucked two containers in the freezer, and I'm afraid I'll be raiding it - tomorrow. I've chompred through the leftover turkey drumstick, the white meat, and the fresh turkey soup, so I'm tapped out on the turkey leftovers. Hmmmm. Maybe I should cook another turkey, yes?