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.