The key to good soup is making it from scratch. So start by saving your turkey carcass. Don't pick it clean, leave a fair amount of meat on the bones...and freeze the carcass, so no one suspects you of serving leftovers!
XO Martha
Pantry Must Haves:
1 Turkey Carcass
1-2 gallons of water
2 onions, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
4 stalks of celery, chopped
1 Turnip (optional) chopped
olive oil
onion salt, pepper, parsley, thyme, bay leaf
1-2 cubes of bouillon or 1-2 tablespoons of "Better than Bouillon" base
1 Turkey Carcass
1-2 gallons of water
2 onions, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
4 stalks of celery, chopped
1 Turnip (optional) chopped
olive oil
onion salt, pepper, parsley, thyme, bay leaf
1-2 cubes of bouillon or 1-2 tablespoons of "Better than Bouillon" base
Start by chopping one onion and sautéing it in olive oil on the bottom of a large pot (about 3 minutes).
Next add the frozen (or thawed) carcass to the pot and cover with water. Add salt, pepper, parsley and thyme and one or two bay leaves, bring to a boil and then let simmer for at least 20 minutes. Add more water as it boils down. If your turkey isn't making as flavorful a stock as you'd like, add a little help with a cube of bullion or a spoonful of better than bouillon base.
Meanwhile prep the other veggies for the soup and chop up the other onion, celery, carrots. Chop up the turnip but set it apart and don't worry about sautéing it...it will need to go into the pot before the other veggies to cook anyway. Sauté the other veggies until al dente, in a little olive oil and season with salt, pepper and spices. Set aside.
Strain the stock through a sieve and into another large soup pot. Return the stock to the stove to continue cooking. If you want to use turnips, add them to the stock now. While the turnips start cooking, salvage all the meat from the turkey. Lots of it will have fallen off the bones and just needs to be pulled into bite size bits. I usually end up with a big cup full of delicious meat. Make sure your turnips are starting to soften up and then add the meat back to the stock along with the other veggies. Bring the soup to a boil and add pasta (or rice if you are cooking for my son...he prefers turkey rice soup). Follow the package directions for cooking times for the pasta or rice. Serve hot!
Next add the frozen (or thawed) carcass to the pot and cover with water. Add salt, pepper, parsley and thyme and one or two bay leaves, bring to a boil and then let simmer for at least 20 minutes. Add more water as it boils down. If your turkey isn't making as flavorful a stock as you'd like, add a little help with a cube of bullion or a spoonful of better than bouillon base.
Meanwhile prep the other veggies for the soup and chop up the other onion, celery, carrots. Chop up the turnip but set it apart and don't worry about sautéing it...it will need to go into the pot before the other veggies to cook anyway. Sauté the other veggies until al dente, in a little olive oil and season with salt, pepper and spices. Set aside.
Strain the stock through a sieve and into another large soup pot. Return the stock to the stove to continue cooking. If you want to use turnips, add them to the stock now. While the turnips start cooking, salvage all the meat from the turkey. Lots of it will have fallen off the bones and just needs to be pulled into bite size bits. I usually end up with a big cup full of delicious meat. Make sure your turnips are starting to soften up and then add the meat back to the stock along with the other veggies. Bring the soup to a boil and add pasta (or rice if you are cooking for my son...he prefers turkey rice soup). Follow the package directions for cooking times for the pasta or rice. Serve hot!
