Dear Eric: Do you have a good turkey-soup recipe?
Richard
Dear Richard: Thanksgiving is next weekend and many folks will have leftover turkey they can make soup with. I decided to answer Richard’s question today so he will be all set do so, including knowing what ingredients he’ll need.
The base of any good turkey soup is the homemade turkey stock you’ll use to make it. If the stock rich and flavourful, your soup will have a sturdy base and you’ll improve your chances of creating something wonderful.
Below are recipes for turkey stock and two turkey rich soups. Before making the stock, read these tips:
• Before putting the turkey carcass into the stockpot, cut it into pieces, as that will expose more of the bones to the simmering liquid. Also, add any other turkey bones or parts you have, such as the wing tips or thigh or leg bones.
• Some people view stock-making as a good way to use up old, shrunken and bruised vegetables. I don’t agree, because flavourless, musty-tasting, ready-for-the-compost vegetables won’t create a richly flavoured, refined-tasting stock, but fresh and flavourful ones will.
• In my stock recipe, you simmer it. Simmer means to cook food in liquid that’s about 185 F, a temperature where tiny bubbles just begin to break the surface. Simmering allows the water in the pot to flow gently around the bones and flavourings, delicately extracting flavours and building a full and balanced flavour. Don’t boil stock, as that can make the water evaporate too quickly and cause the stock to become very cloudy and muddled tasting.
• Don’t cover the pot, as steam needs to escape, which will allow the stock to reduce a bit and concentrate in flavour, which is what you want. If you cover the pot tightly, steam won’t escape, will hit the lid, drip back into the pot and cause your stock to become watery tasting.
• Before declaring your stock ready, ladle some into a small bowl, season with a bit of salt and pepper and then taste it. If it has rich turkey taste, it’s ready. If not, let it simmer a while longer.
• Although you could use the stock shortly after making it, my preference is to cool it to room temperature and refrigerate it overnight, as doing so makes it easier to remove any fat solidified on the surface.
Turkey Stock
After making and cooling this stock, you can keep it refrigerated up to three days. If you don’t use it by then, package, label, date and freeze it for later use.
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 2 to 2 1/2 hours
Makes: About eight to 10 cups
1 medium to large onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 large carrot, halved lengthwise and sliced
2 celery ribs, halved lengthwise and sliced
12 to 16 cups water (depending on size of turkey carcass)
4 to 6 fresh parsley sprigs
1 tsp dried thyme
8 to 10 whole black peppercorns
2 to 3 bay leaves
1 turkey carcass, cut into 4 or 6 pieces, plus any other turkey bones you have
Place all ingredients in a tall pot and set over medium-high. Bring to just below a boil, and then reduce temperature until liquid gently simmers (small bubbles should just break on the surface). Simmer, uncovered, for two hours.
At this point, ladle a little stock into a small bowl, season with a bit of salt and pepper, and taste it. If it has a nice turkey taste, it’s ready. If not, simmer a while longer.
When ready, strain the stock, cool to room temperature and refrigerate overnight. Remove any solidified fat and the stock is ready to use or package and freeze for up to three months.
Creamy Turkey and Vegetable Soup with Tarragon
This lightly thickened turkey soup features a nice mix of vegetables and is given a creamy texture by swirling in a cup of milk or cream at the end of cooking. The recipe could be doubled, if desired.
Preparation: 25 minutes
Cooking time: About 30 minutes
Makes: four servings
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 cup diced carrot (see Note)
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced leek, white and pale green part only
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp dried tarragon
3 1/2 cups turkey stock
1 1/2 cups cooked, diced turkey
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn
1 cup whole milk or light cream
salt and white pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a medium-sized pot set over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, leeks and garlic and cook until softened, about six minutes. Stir in the flour and tarragon and cook two minutes more.
Slowly stir in 1 cup of the stock until well-combined. When the mixture has thickened, slowly mix in the remaining stock. Mix in the diced turkey and corn. Allow the soup to come to a gentle simmer and cook for 15 minutes, until lightly thickened.
Pour in the milk (or cream) and heat through for two minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Note: Diced in this recipe means to cut into small, 1/4-inch or so cubes.
Turkey, Vegetable and Bow-tie Pasta Soup
This recipe is from my book, Everyone Can Cook Everything. If you have leftovers from a turkey dinner, this hearty soup is a delicious way to use them up. Served with slices of crusty Italian bread, it makes a nice lunch entrée.
Preparation: 20 minutes
Cooking time: about 25 minutes
Makes: six servings
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
2 medium celery ribs, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 medium carrot, peeled and quartered lengthwise
2 Tbsp tomato paste
5 cups turkey stock
1 (14 oz./398 mL) can diced tomatoes
• pinch sugar
1 cup cooked turkey, cut into small cubes
1 cup bow-tie or other bite-sized pasta
2 Tbsp store-bought or homemade pesto
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery and carrot and cook three to four minutes. Mix in the tomato paste and cook one minute more. Add the stock, diced tomatoes, sugar and turkey, bring the soup to a simmer and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the pasta, return the soup to a simmer and cook until the pasta is tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the pesto, season with salt and pepper, and serve.
Eric Akis is the author of eight cookbooks. His latest is The Great Rotisserie Chicken Cookbook (Appetite by Random House). His columns appear in the Life section Wednesday and Sunday.
