I've roasted a few turkeys in my day, and I always save the carcass for soup. I change the recipe everytime I make it or at least, I did. I stumbled upon a chicken zoopa recipe several years ago that sparked my culinary creativity. The final product is a favorite of both my husband's and mine. I hope you enjoy it too! It's sure to warm you from the inside out.
Ingredients
Turkey Broth:
1 turkey carcass
1 onion, cut in 1/8s
variety of herbs and spices (rosemary sprigs are a favorite)
Soup:
2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 tsp minced garlic (@ 2 cloves)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 - 3 cups chopped celery
1 - 2 cups julienned carrots
2 leeks, minced (white & part of the green)
4 cups turkey broth
1/4 soy sauce (or to taste)
1 - 2 Tablespoon sesame oil
8 ounces spinach, rinsed
1/2 cup barley (or pasta of choice)
Turkey meat from carcass
Salt & Pepper to taste
1) Prepare your broth by placing the carcass in a dutch oven. Place the onion and seasonings around carcass. Cover carcass with water. Simmer for several hours, until carcass falls apart when attempted to be lifted out of water. Strain the broth and debone. Set aside the chunks of meat.
2) Heat oil in a large pot. Add all of the vegetables, except the spinach, and saute until onion is translucent.
3) Add stock, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Bring to a simmer. If using barley, rinse, and add now. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes.
4) Add spinach to soup. It will quickly shrink. If using pasta, add pasta now. Add turkey. Salt & pepper generously to taste. Your soup is ready as soon as the noodles are al dente and the turkey is heated through.
Sit at the table with a good book spread open before you. Hover over the warmth of the steamy soup and enjoy your story!
Turkey Broth:
1 turkey carcass
1 onion, cut in 1/8s
variety of herbs and spices (rosemary sprigs are a favorite)
Soup:
2 Tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 tsp minced garlic (@ 2 cloves)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 - 3 cups chopped celery
1 - 2 cups julienned carrots
2 leeks, minced (white & part of the green)
4 cups turkey broth
1/4 soy sauce (or to taste)
1 - 2 Tablespoon sesame oil
8 ounces spinach, rinsed
1/2 cup barley (or pasta of choice)
Turkey meat from carcass
Salt & Pepper to taste
1) Prepare your broth by placing the carcass in a dutch oven. Place the onion and seasonings around carcass. Cover carcass with water. Simmer for several hours, until carcass falls apart when attempted to be lifted out of water. Strain the broth and debone. Set aside the chunks of meat.
2) Heat oil in a large pot. Add all of the vegetables, except the spinach, and saute until onion is translucent.
3) Add stock, soy sauce, and sesame oil. Bring to a simmer. If using barley, rinse, and add now. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes.
4) Add spinach to soup. It will quickly shrink. If using pasta, add pasta now. Add turkey. Salt & pepper generously to taste. Your soup is ready as soon as the noodles are al dente and the turkey is heated through.
Sit at the table with a good book spread open before you. Hover over the warmth of the steamy soup and enjoy your story!
CHEATER'S VERSION
Cook a couple of chicken breasts and cube or shred in place of the turkey. Use store-bought broth in place of the homemade turkey broth. It won't have quite the flavor, but it will still be tasty.
Cook a couple of chicken breasts and cube or shred in place of the turkey. Use store-bought broth in place of the homemade turkey broth. It won't have quite the flavor, but it will still be tasty.