December 23, 2006
FROM THE ARCHIVES: WE'RE HERE TO HELP:
Turkey, vegetables, spices, and a splash of gin (JOE FIORITO, 12/26/05, Toronto Star)
Rouse yourself. Go into the kitchen. Send the women back to bed to read their Christmas novels. Encourage the children to put a fresh set of batteries in their new toys.Now open the door of the fridge and remove the carcass of the turkey. You are about to make soup.
Apron?
We are men. We don't need no stinking aprons.
Put the carcass of the bird on a sturdy cutting board and, with your best sharp knife, trim the meat from the bones. Why use a sharp knife? Because, with a dull one, all you cut is yourself.
I am living, breathing proof. The back of my left forefinger, the corner of my left thumb, that bit of knuckle.
Et bloody cetera.
(Originally posted: 12/26/05)
Posted by Orrin Judd at December 23, 2006 11:18 PMI love turkey soup, and have an easy recipe: just cut up the carcas like the writer describes and throw it in a pot of water with a large onion (cut in half, leave the skin on), a parsnip, a white turnip, some celery (all the better if the tops are still on) and some carrots (ditto the tops). Slow cook it for a couple of hours. If you want to make two pots, but some extra trukey wings or thighs and throw them in to help stretch the meat). After it's cooked for awhile, add salt, pepper or other spices you like, to taste. (If you're going to save as stock, don't add spices now...wait until you're going to use it.)
One other tip: if you put the veggies in one of those cheese cloth bags they sell to cook the stuffing in, you can just pull it out and throw it away and save a lot of skimming time.
When the soup is done, allow it to cool in the fridge, and then skim the fat.
For turkey soup, re-heat with the reserved shredded turkey meat, egg noodles (or wild rice), fresh carrots and onions (sliced thin) or whatever else you like. Or, you can freeze the stock for at least 2 or 3 months for use later.
Posted by: Foos at December 26, 2005 10:58 AM