Friday, November 29, 2019

Hallie's day-after turkey noodle and mushroom soup

Turkey Soup: Jerry Touger
HALLIE EPHRON: Turkey leftovers made into soup? It's as delicious as Thanksgiving dinner! Just be sure to SAVE every bit of of skin and fat and bone (the whole carcass) and *JUICES* that didn't get eaten at Thanksgiving. For the frugal among us, this will feed you for days on end with barely any additional cost, and freeze for future thawing. 

I make mine with a not-quite-picked-clean turkey carcass, vegetables, flat noodles, and a ton of sliced mushrooms.

Start this in the early afternoon so you have time to cook it, cool it, pick out the bones and gristle and herb stems -- then add the noodles and mushrooms and cook another 30 minutes or so.

INGREDIENTS
Leftover turkey carcass broken into pieces: bones with most (but not all) of the meat removed; also any any skin or innards you might have left, too; also gelatinous sludge from the turkey platter... all that good stuff
2 medium onions, chopped
3 celery stalks chopped
3 large carrots, chopped
Leftover gravy, if there is any that you're willing to sacrifice
2-3 chicken bouillon cubes (the cubes I use are supposed to flavor 2 cups of broth each, but they do add a lot of salt - you can use less and then throw in more at the end if the broth isn't poultry-flavored enough)
2-3 Tablepoons of tomato paste (or throw in a couple tomatoes (chopped) if you have some sitting around) - optional but Ii think it gives the soup a richer flavor
Water to cover
Whatever fresh herbs you have on hand -- ideally parsley, thyme, sage, bay leaves
To be added later...
1/2 pound of mushrooms, sliced
Flat noodles - about 1/3 of a pound

1. In a soup pot, sautee onions, celery, and carrots in a little vegetable oil until soft
2. Dump the broken-up carcass and turkey scraps and juices into the pot
3. Cover with water
4. Add herbs, bouillon cubes
5. Bring to a boil and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally
6. Refrigerate until cool enough to handle
7. Working with clean hands, pick through removing bones and herbs, saving ALL the bits of meat and broth and vegetables

YOU CAN STOP HERE and take a victory lap. Have a glass of wine. Toast yourself! Eat some leftover pie.

1/2 hour before serving
8. Return the pot to the stove, heat to a boil, add the mushrooms and dry noodles and simmer until the noodles and mushrooms are tender
9. Season to taste and serve
(I like to add soy sauce, sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, and hot sauce to my portion, giving this a spicy Chinese flavor)

FREEZE any you aren't going to eat in the next few days. It's such a treat on a day when you don't feel like to cooking, to find a quart of delicious turkey noodle and mushroom soup waiting to be thawed.

Do you make soup from leftovers? Other brilliant Thanksgiving leftover ideas??

42 comments:

  1. This sounds yummy, Hallie . . . homemade soup is always a treat.
    We always look forward to turkey sandwiches [turkey, cranberries, mayonnaise on rye bread]; we almost always make a turkey fettuccini for an after-Thanksgiving dinner as well . . . .

    ReplyDelete
  2. Yum! Yes, always turkey soup, although my method differs. A turkey shepherd's pie is also easy - mix leftover gravy with turkey bits and from frozen peas, top with leftover mashed potatoes (if you had any...) or new ones, and bake.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm thinking of this for dinner for tonight.

      Delete
  3. Soup from turkey broth is so good.
    I like to save some of the broth to mix with milk in a gravy that will be served with turkey and vegetables on vol-au-vent, my daughter's favorite.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    2. Vol-au-vent! My English friend, Pauline, made these for me and I haven't had one since. Do you make your own puff pastry or do you use the frozen. Mary berry does the latter!

      Delete
    3. Wow Danielle! I’ll try that

      Delete
  4. I have no brilliant ideas for leftovers. But I did take home a big plate of turkey and potatoes. So when the Patriots play on Sunday, I'll put together a plate with some gravy I have here at the house, some rolls and some cranberry sauce and have myself Thanksgiving Dinner 2.0.

    And if the result of that meal is the same as last year, I will then miss the remainder of the first half of the game while napping off the turkey coma.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sounds yummy. The Hubby wore out last night, decided he really didn't want to pick the carcass clean, and threw out the whole thing. :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh no, Liz! The secret is NOT picking it clean. Next year! Or Christmas, if you do turkey for Christmas.

      Delete
    2. To do it right, I really need a bigger pot, too. Hmm. Christmas is an idea. =)

      Delete
  6. Hallie, that sound delicious. My friend makes a similar soup (and I have done, using her recipe) with wild rice instead of noodles. Delish! Also, if you can allow enough time, refrigerate the cooked broth until you can skim the fat off the top. And you can also make the broth in the Instant Pot.

    Alas, we went to family, so now turkey carcass here. But I'm going to make up for it this weekend by roasting a chicken and then making fabulous bone broth in the Instant Pot.

    ReplyDelete
  7. This sounds so yummy! And I made a version last year… Delicious. And you are so right about finding a stash of it in the freezer. Fabulous.
    I make turkey tetrazzini… Turkey, bechamel sauce, lots of winey mushrooms, pasta and cheese cheese cheese. Next year I’ll put up the recipe. Happy day after, everyone!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Everytime I read one of your recipes, I wonder how you can stay thin. xox

      Delete
  8. Thank you Edith, from the bottom of my rather exhausted heart (anno domini). Turkey Shepherds pie will be just what the dr. ordered for tonight.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Good morning everyone, it is bright and sunny up in Maine. Hallie, thank you for a great soup idea and thank you everyone else for additions for turkey remains etc. our family is small springing as it does from first generation roots; we were six for dinner together with a 19# turkey. Well I spatchcocked the turkey. It cooked beautifully and tasted good too. I make a chestnut, sausage and turkey liver stuffing so that it's GF, but younger grandson needed Stovetop too! Anyway lots of leftovers here and I'm not feeling very creative this year. I also bought my pies from a local baker and they were incredible. What have I learned this year other than feeling most grateful for my family and friends; I need to step back. I even thought this might be my last cooking hurrah as I am tired. Happy too please don't mistake me, not too big a bitch, but today is about quiet time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's a lot of work Celia, and you are are smart to step back when you feel like it!

      Delete
  10. Yep, turkey carcass went right into the big pot last night, with scraps and drippings and whatever vegetables I could find in fridge ( I forgot to plan for this,after many decades of turkey carcasses!) Onion and carrots did the job and there is lots of turkey broth this AM. Hub and I both also like a kind of turkey a la king, real childhood food. Cut up leftover turkey in a white sauce/gravy crossover ( I'll make it part turkey broth). Frozen veg. Season very well. Serve over mashed potatoes or biscuits. The leftover pie will probably become a few breakfasts for me. ( What can I say? I was meant to be a Yankee - pie for breakfast is the best treat!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The only thing I can’t figure out is how to make enough room in the fridge

      Delete
    2. If you mean for the carcass, I break it up and stuff it in a bag in the freezer until ready to use


      Delete
  11. Tonight I'm using up the mashed potatoes in an Edith cottage pie. But I'll start the boneyard soupl a la Hallie today. I cooked our turkey on Tuesday as we were going out yesterday, to a family do. The hostess insisted on sending leftovers home with us. So we have turkey for eons. I need to get that carcass out of the freezer and make room for soup.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Pumpkin pie has milk, eggs and vegetable so it's perfect for breakfast. I like turkey sandwiches on sourdough, which is usually the only time I'll buy the local sourdough bakery's sliced bread. Turkey, mayo and cranberry relish. I didn't cook turkey this year, so no sandwiches but I do have oyster dressing left so it will get warmed up with a little stock. Okay, off to work. Enjoy your day everyone.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree - pumpkin pie for breakfast! Thumbs up 👍

      Delete
    2. Like oatmeal cookies, pumpkin pie is definitely real fast food

      Delete
  13. The boys want the leftover turkey as is. No casseroles. Nothing. They’ll make their turkey sandwiches and it’ll disappear pretty fast.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I’ve been picking at turkey leftovers all morning

      Delete
  14. One benefit of living in Colorado is we can use our garage/deck/porch as a spare refrig when we have overflow. We store all the beverages, pies, etc in the garage. We usually make turkey soup, just cook the carcass, debone/skim fat, add thyme and sage, and add some egg noodles. Delicious!!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Hallie, your soup sounds delicious, but I'm not putting any effort into cooking today. If I can't warm it up in the microwave today, it won't get eaten. Luckily, I have both turkey fixings and baked spaghetti leftovers that qualify for the microwave reheating. I am a tired camper today.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Love turkey soup, especially after Thanksgiving turkey from a local natural grocery shop and I never like soup. LOL

    ReplyDelete
  17. Brilliant recipe, Hallie.

    We had the best turkey ever this year. Fresh, not frozen, from a local organic farmer. I took the meat thermometer out and juice spurted half a foot. It was so juicy and good.

    Our favorite post-Thanksgiving dish is Tetrazzini. I love it, especially made with sherry. Which reminds me, I need to restock!

    ReplyDelete
  18. I just retrieved the carcass from our neighbor and put it in the pot. We'll have it tomorrow, but I think I'll add rice and spinach. And thanks to Jerry for the illustration!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Yum, sounds wonderful, we've already discarded the carcass, but I'm saving this for roast chicken. Almost the same thing, right? I'm planning on turkey tetrazzini (a la Cooking Light) and turkey pot pie - so easy with rolled refrigerator pie crust and frozen mixed vegetables of your choice.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Ooh, I was just contemplating what to do with the leftovers! Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I suppose packing up the turkey and sending it to me via overnight shipping wasn't on the list of options? LOL!

      Delete
  21. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete