Kale Chicken Noodle Soup (aka, the best soup I've ever made)

I dropped a few mega handfuls of chopped kale and smaller amounts of diced carrots, parsley and garlic into about six cups of chicken broth and let it boil until the kale gave up; at which point, I added roughly half of the leftover sauced cauliflower alfredo curly pasta with peas and let everything come up to temperature. A dusting of grated parmesan over the top to serve. **Possibly the best soup I've ever made**

I could see adding in a couple of chicken thighs at the outset for a richer broth and adding in some of the shredded chicken at the end, but otherwise I wouldn't change a thing.

Yellow Split Pea Soup

* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 cup coarsely chopped yellow onion
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* 1 pound yellow split peas
* 1 pound carrots, cut into 1½‐inch pieces
* ¼ pound celery, cut into 1½‐inch pieces
* 1 smoked ham hock
* 8 cups chicken stock
* Freshly ground black pepper
* Salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium‐high heat. Add the onion and garlic, reduce the heat to medium‐low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, raise the heat to high, cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until very thick and creamy, about 2 hours. Remove the ham hock, chop as much or as little of the meat as you like, and return it to the soup, discarding the bone.
2. Season with salt to taste. (You may not need any salt because the ham hock can be quite salty.)

Potato Gnocchi

Clam Chowder for Niall

Niall,
This first test batch of chowder left Bill speechless. He uttered all kinds of grunts and other appreciative noises, but otherwise pretty much stayed face down in the bowl until it was gone. I'm keeping this recipe as is. The whole thing took 20 minutes from start to finish, including prep.

It is very basic, and the only thing that sets this chowder apart are the two techniques described in the directions for the recipe below. I know it will offend your chefly sensibilities to NOT ADD LIQUID to the clams when you steam them, and if you must cave on this point you could add a splash of white wine, but trust me when I tell you it isn't necessary. This is how I solved the problem we spoke about -- of how to get the broth to taste like a big bowl of steamers and not like that nasty bottled clam juice...

The linguica is really key, and I hope you won't leave it out just because the folks out there haven't been converted yet. The pancetta gives the chowder a clean, mild porkiness, and the linguica lends a tremendous amount of flavor. I can overnight you a pound or two of the good stuff from Lopes Sausage if you don't have access to a source.

The parsley does change the traditional all-white aspect of NE chowder, adding little flecks of green to the bowl. I'm cool with that and I think the fresh herbs offset the richness of the dish, but you could leave them out if the green is too off-putting.I didn't add any salt to the pot at all, but the dish came out perfectly seasoned between the clams and the pork products. Enjoy...

1/2 cup pancetta, diced small
1/4 cup linguica, diced medium
12 littleneck clams, scrubbed
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion, diced large
2 cups red new potatoes, UNPEELED, diced large
1/2 pint heavy cream
2 cups evaporated skim milk (I used regular whole milk and the flavor was phenomenal but the milk did scald. Up to you. I would use evaporated skim milk next time to approximate the texture of regular milk.)
handful chopped parsley
chopped chives (optional)
Ground black pepper, to taste

Turn the flame to medium-high under a large saute pan with a tight fitting lid. Add the pancetta and linguica and let them just barely begin to render -- about a minute. Add the clams, put the lid on the pot, turn the heat to high and walk away for 7 or 8 minutes. Do not take the lid off.
Prep all the other ingredients.

After 8 minutes, all the clams will be wide open and they will have generated a lot of clam liquor. Pour the contents of the pan into a very fine strainer over a small-to-medium-sized pot. Set the strainer with the clams and pork products aside to cool.

Turn the heat to medium under the pot with the clam liquor and add the remaining ingredients. Cook UNCOVERED until the potatoes are just cooked through, about 8 - 10 minutes total. This allows the liquid to reduce a little while the potatoes are soaking up all that good clam broth and cream.

Towards the end of the cooking time, take the cooled clams out of their shells and cut them in half. (This is super quick once the clams are cool. Don't say the prep crew doesn't have time to do this!) Discard the clam shells.

Once the potatoes are cooked through, add the clams and pork back to the chowder. Let cool for a couple of minutes and taste for seasoning. This makes 5-6 servings, and the chowder is good for several days.

Those two techniques -- steaming the clams first to get their liquid (and ensuring big pieces of clam) and then letting the liquid thicken a bit while the potatoes cook in it uncovered are my Xmas gifts to you, even if you already have them.

Love,
Ruthie

Tomato Vegetable Soup with Rice

This is my take on Lydia Bastianich's famous Potato Rice Soup that uses a Parmigiano-Reggiano Rind for flavor. I've made it into a rainy-day-at-the-Cape tomato soup, switched out the celery (which I never have in the fridge) for fennel (which I always have in the fridge) and cut back on the rice so the leftovers don't turn to sludge overnight. This is a hearty soup. It would be terrific pureed, as all tomato soups are, and, in fact, that might just be the key to reviving the leftovers now that I think of it...


3 tablespoons olive oil
4 small red potatoes, washed and cut into 1/3-inch cubes
1 large carrots, diced large
1/2 cup fennel, diced large
1 small can tomato paste
1/2 cup leftover French onion soup (obviously, this was what was on hand. Next time, I'd probably increase the chicken broth by half a cup, and saute half an onion, diced large, with the other vegetables.)
4 cups hot chicken broth
2 2-inch-squares Parmigiano rind, exterior scraped
1 fresh or dried bay leaves
freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup long-grain rice
1/4 cup chopped basil or parsley or spinach (optional)

1. In a deep, heavy 4- to 5-quart pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Potatoes will stick to pot; adjust heat to prevent stuck bits from becoming too dark. Stir in carrots and celery and cook, stirring, another 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and stir to coat vegetables.

2. Add broth, onion soup, Parmigiano rinds and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, scraping up bits of potato on bottom, then simmer. Cover pot and cook until potatoes begin to fall apart, about 40 minutes. Stir in rice and cook until rice is tender but still firm, about 12 minutes. Remove bay leaves, stir in parsley or other green leafy chiffonade (if desired), and check seasoning. Remove rinds and cut into small pieces. Put a piece in each soup bowl and ladle soup on top. Serves 4-6

Sizzling Rice Soup

I loved this soup when I was a kid. Over the years it has completely and inexplicably disappeared from all but a few old-school NYC Chinese restaurant menus; but no matter, I've started making it at home. In fact, we've eaten it three times this week, in an effort to make up for lost time.

The loud sizzle is a special moment in my day. What can I say? I've always loved those little tableside flourishes. Plus, it's a kind of perfect duo: combining the guilty-pleasure-sensation of pop rocks, with the inarguable health benefits of chicken vegetable soup.

3-4 ounces frozen shrimp, thawed
2 tablespoon rice wine
2 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 large skinless, boneless chicken breast
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup chopped raw broccoli
½ can of sliced water chestnuts
¼ cup sliced scallions
handful of snow peas
4-6 rice cakes from 1 package Chinese rice cakes (or you can make your own, which I did the other day but would prefer to not ever have to do again in the future.)

In a bowl, mix together the shrimp, cornstarch, sherry and soy sauce and set aside. Poach the chicken breast in the chicken broth in a soup pot over medium heat. Bring to a boil and then immediately reduce the heat and allow it to simmer until the chicken is just barely cooked through. Remove the chicken breast and set aside too cool slightly.

Add the shrimp mixture, green onions, water chestnuts and broccoli to the pot over medium heat. Simmer for 3 minutes. While the shrimp is simmering, cut the reserved chicken breast into chunks and add the chicken back into the soup. Add the snow peas and adjust for seasoning.

Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan. Brown the rice cakes in the oil very briefly on each side. They should be very hot. Remove the rice cakes from the oil with a slotted spoon, and blot on paper towels.

Add the rice cakes to the soup at the table. If both are hot enough, the soup will sizzle loudly.

Dal Shorba (Indian Red Lentil Soup)

Red lentils are always a good "welcome home" when Bill comes off the road. We ate this hearty soup with fresh, homemade naan. Hard to go wrong, really.

Adapted from a recipe by executive chef Vikram Sunderam of Rasika restaurant.

8 ounces dried red lentils (1 1/2 cups)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
1 3-inch piece peeled ginger root, finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
4 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 3 tablespoons)
3/4 pound tomatoes, coarsely chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons Madras curry powder
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon ground ginger
4 cups water, or as needed
1 medium green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch pieces
1 cup packed mint leaves (from 1/2 bunch)
1 cup packed cilantro leaves (from 1/2 bunch)
Salt
Lemon wedges and yogurt, for garnish


Rinse and drain the lentils; sort through them to discard any debris.

Heat the oil in a large (at least 4-quart) pot over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12 to 15 minutes, until they are golden brown; reduce the heat as needed to keep the onions from burning. Add the ginger and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, turmeric and curry powder; cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring to blend the spices. Add the water and bring the soup base to a boil.

Add the lentils to the soup base along with the bell pepper, mint and cilantro. Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low so the soup barely bubbles at the edges. Cook for about 20 minutes, until the lentils are tender.

Process the soup in batches in a blender until smooth, filling the blender no more than halfway; or use an immersion (stick) blender in the pot. Strain the soup through a fine-mesh strainer. Season to taste with salt; adjust the consistency with additional water as needed. Serve with lemon wedges.

Seafood Chowder

Chowdah! Just the sound of the word (combined with the sight of our beach) makes my heart race. I am so ready for summer.

5 slices of bacon, diced small
1 yellow onion, diced medium
1 Yukon Gold potato, peeled and diced medium
12 littleneck clams, scrubbed well
1/2 - 3/4 lb basa or cod filets, diced large
12 large shrimp, shelled and deveined
chicken or fish stock
cream
salt and pepper, to taste

Saute the bacon over medium heat in a large pan with a lid. After about two minutes, add the potatoes and onions to the pan, and saute everything together for a few minutes until the onions have begun to soften. Add the clams and just enough stock to barely cover the potatoes and onions, and come about 1/4 up the sides of the clams. This was about 2 cups last night, but could be a little more or less, depending on the size of the pan. Cook, covered for two minutes. Add the shrimp and fish and cream (I didn't measure the cream -- I would say it was about 1 1/4 cups) and cover and cook for four to five minutes longer. The clams should be open at this point. They may need up to a minute longer. At that point, discard any clams that have not opened.

Tangy Red Lentil Soup With Niçoise Olives

Once a month, when I know I'm going to be home for a couple of hours, I make a big batch of rich chicken stock, using the Edna Lewis method. Last week there was an article in the NYT about how making stock is (supposedly) too much work, results in too many pots to wash and is altogether not worth the effort. Along with the article they listed a number of soup recipes in which the bones cook right along with the soup, instead of requiring the separate step of making stock first and then soup later.
This was one of those recipes, and I'm here to tell you, people: TAKE THE TIME TO MAKE A BIG BATCH OF STOCK ONCE A MONTH WHILE YOU'RE WATCHING A VIDEO OR CONDITIONING YOUR HAIR. There is no substitute in terms of depth of flavor. I had to triple the amount of tomato paste called for and add a whole mess of salt to this recipe just to give it flavor. Other than that, it was pretty good. A nice occasional change from our Turkish red lentil standard. The olive garnish is very cute.

1 large celery stalk, finely chopped
1 large carrot, unpeeled, finely chopped
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt to taste
1 small can tomato paste
1 pound red lentils, rinsed
1 pound chicken backs
4 thyme sprigs
2 lemons, halved
1/4 cup whole niçoise olives.
Pimenton, for garnish
1. In a 4-quart saucepan, combine celery, carrot, onion, garlic, olive oil and salt. Cover and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Add lentils, chicken backs, 8 cups water and thyme, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, until lentils have broken down, about 30 minutes.

2. Discard thyme sprigs. Remove chicken backs, remove meat from bones, chop meat and return meat to soup. Using an immersion blender, partially purée soup. Taste and add salt if needed. Ladle soup into bowls, squeeze in lemon juice and serve topped with olives.

Yield: 8 servings.

Blue Kitchen's Roasted Cauliflower and Dill Soup

For the full story on how this lush and hearty soup came into being, check out Blue Kitchen's fascinating site at www.blue-kitchen.com. I made a few strategic adaptations to punch up the flavor: more garlic, with the tiniest little bit stirred in right before serving, twice as much dill, more pure chicken broth -- but essentially it's still Blue Kitchen's creamy Polish-inspired cauliflower soup, and it is absolutely fantastic.

1 head of cauliflower broken into florets, about 6 cups
3 carrots, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
1 medium yellow onion, chopped fine
4 cloves garlic, minced and then pounded into a paste
5 cups chicken stock
2/3 cup chopped fresh dill
salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Drizzle vegetables with olive oil and toss to coat. Spread into a single layer in a large roasting pan [or onto a large baking sheet with a rim] and season with pepper. DON’T add salt at this point. Roast vegetables in the middle of the oven until tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally, for about 35 - 45 minutes. Remove from oven. The soup can be made a day ahead up to this point; cool vegetables slightly, then cover and refrigerate.

Peel and chop onion and garlic while the cauliflower mixture roasts. When it’s ready, heat a large, heavy pot or dutch oven over a medium flame. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and sauté onion until softened and translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 95 percent of the minced garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Add cauliflower mixture to pot, along with broth and water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low to let soup simmer for 20 minutes or so.

Toward the end of this time, carefully ladle out 3 cups of cauliflower and broth and purée it in a food processor or blender. Avoid puréeing any of the carrots with the cauliflower and broth. Return the purée to the soup pot and stir to blend. Remove from heat, stir in the fresh dill and the last little bit of the minced garlic and adjust for seasoning. Serve hot.

"Floaters" -- or -- the best possible matzo ball soup

My secrets for authentic matzoh ball perfection? Fresh dill, proper seasoning, chicken fat instead of olive oil and egg whites beaten to stiff peaks. Go forth and float, meine kinder...

1 cup matzo meal
4 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup oil (For maximum flavor, I like use the chicken fat that congeals on the surface of my homemade stock here, but olive oil works just fine too.)
1/4 cup water (some people use seltzer. I don't see a noticeable difference.)
1 scant tablespoon salt
4 dashes fresh ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/3 cup chopped fresh dill

Soup
10 cups homemade chicken stock
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

Mix matzo meal together with the salt, pepper and garlic. Taste the mixture. It should taste slightly overseasoned at this point. In a small bowl, beat the egg yolks and oil until doubled in volume and mix into the matzo meal mixture. Add the chopped dill and water. In a separate bowl beat the egg whites to stiff peaks with an electric mixer, making sure that both the bowl and the beaters are very clean and have no trace of grease on them before beginning. Fold the beaten egg whites into the matzo meal mixture in three batches, folding the last batch in very gently so the mixture maintains its volume. Refrigerate for 1/2 to 1 hour.

Bring chicken stock to a boil and add the boullion cube.
Moisten the palms of your hands with cold water before forming each matzo ball. Form the matzo balls - approximately walnut sized in diameter, and as perfectly round as possible - and drop them directly into the boiling stock. They should float to the surface within thirty seconds or so. If they stick to the bottom, gently dislodge them with a spoon so they can float freely. When all of the matzo balls are formed, carefully drop the carrots into the pot. Cover and cook at a rolling boil for ten minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and continue to cook at a simmer for at least 30 minutes more. Taste a matzo ball to make sure that they are entirely cooked through. Add the rest of the chopped dill to the pot, adjust for seasoning and serve.
(This recipe yields 12 perfect matzo balls)

Syrian Red Lentil Soup

This is one of Bill's faves. I think he likes the drama of the presentation (red sumac thumbprints, a dollop of Greek yogurt, chopped fresh cilantro against a bright yellow background) almost as much as the taste. Its delicious too.

2 cups red lentils
3 quarts of chicken stock
6 cloves of garlic
2 t ground coriander
1 t kosher salt
2 T vegetable oil
chopped cilantro, mint, lemon wedges, Greek yogurt, ground cumin and crushed red pepper for garnish

Simmer lentils in chicken stock for 40 minutes, until soft.
In a mortar, pound the garlic, coriander, oil and salt to a paste. Add to soup and simmer for another 20 minutes.
Garnish with cilantro, mint, cumin, sumac and crushed red pepper, as desired.
Serve with lemon wedges, a dollop of yogurt and warm bread.

Potaje de Garbanzos (Cuban Chickpea Stew) Slow Cooker Version

1 lb. dried garbanzo beans, soaked overnight, water discarded, rinsed and picked through.
2 quarts chicken broth
2 chicken boullion cubes, or, preferably, a packet of sazon with achiote
2 links of chorizo, sliced ¾" thick
1 1/2 cups sofrito
2 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced in ½" rounds
3 cloves garlic, peeled, mashed and finely minced
½ cup tomato paste
2 teaspoons paprika
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 bay leaves
1/2 lb flank steak, cut into large chunks
1 small ham hock or part of a smoked turkey drumstick
handful of chopped cilantro
Ground black pepper, to taste
Salt, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a 4 quart slow cooker, adding additional water as needed, to cover all ingredients. Cook on low for 6 - 8 hours. Adjust seasoning. Remove bay leaves and ham hock or turkey drum. Serve with crusty bread for dunking.

Syrian Tomato-Rice Soup with Kibbeh

I took a great many liberties with a recipe for tomato rice soup in the Jewish/Syrian cookbook Aromas of Aleppo, and then adapted the results to the slow cooker. Completely fabulous and incredibly easy.

Tomato Paste
1/2 cup white rice
2 1/2 quarts beef or chicken broth
2 cloves of garlic, mashed to a paste

1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 t allspice
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t cayenne
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t garlic powder
salt and pepper, to taste
1 t olive oil
2 t raw white rice
handful of chopped fresh cilantro, plus additional for garnish

Combine tomato paste and broth in the ceramic insert of a 4 quart slow cooker. Add the rice and garlic, and set the cooker on low.

In a mixing bowl, combine the beef, spices, rice and chopped cilantro, mixing well, until all ingredients are thoroughly combined. Form into 15 meatballs (kibbeh) and drop them gently into the broth in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, turning the heat up to high during the last 30 minutes of cooking time. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve with warm bread. Serves 6

Coconut Curry Noodle Soup

I made this for dinner tonight, along with a platter of Bo Luc Lac. The soup was right on the money. Its my own recipe, (although I have to admit that there's nothing very original about it.) True comfort food.

1/2 package rice noodles (any size), cooked, drained and oiled to keep them from sticking, set aside
1/2 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined OR sliced boneless skinless chicken
2 t thai red chili paste
2 t madras curry powder
1 can coconut milk
2 cups of chicken (or fish or shrimp stock if using shrimp)
1 T fish sauce, or more to taste
2 shallots, sliced into thin rings
2 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
1 knob ginger, cut into thick slices
1 or 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised and cut into thick slices
fish sauce, to taste
Lemon juice to taste
Chopped cilantro, basil chiffonade, lemon wedges and bean sprouts for garnish

In a pot over high heat combine 2 cups stock, fish sauce, chili paste, curry powder, ginger, lemongrass and shallots. Bring to a boil, turn heat down to low and simmer for twenty to thirty minutes. Add the coconut milk.

Remove the ginger and lemongrass. Add the shrimp, and cover, reducing the heat to low. Cook just until the shrimp are opaque throughout -- 3 minutes or so.
Add more fish sauce to your liking. Portion noodles and cilantro and/or basil into individual bowls. Pour soup over noodles, arranging shrimp on top of the noodles. Top with bean sprouts and a lemon wedge. Serve hot.
Serves 4

White Bean and Spinach Soup

There goes the last of the last of the turkey stock. Now I'm in full-on jam-making mode for the holidays, and Thanksgiving is a already a distant dream, even just one week later. This hearty, satisfying soup -- a kind of brothy, tomato-less minestrone -- will keep us going through the snowy work week ahead. Next time I would use red beans instead of white, spinach fusilli instead of whole wheat and ham instead of turkey, just to make it prettier to look at, but the flavor doesn't need any adjustment at all. I'm baking a loaf of bread to go with the soup, and the house smells pretty great. I know this isn't a very politically correct thing for a modern gal to say, but the truth is, I'd be perfectly happy to stay home and cook for my family all day. This is what I love.

2 T olive oil
5 cloves garlic, sliced thin
3-4 stalks of celery, cut into large dice, about 1 cup
1 cup carrots, cut into large dice
1/2 a large Spanish onion, cut into large dice, about 1 cup
1 quart plus 1 pint turkey stock
1 can white beans
1 cup, leftover cooked turkey, chopped into large dice
2 large handfuls of fresh baby spinach, washed and julienned
1/3 cup chopped parsley
1 T garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
Cooked whole wheat fusilli or elbow macaroni
Freshly grated parmesan cheese

In a large pot, saute the first five ingredients until they start to soften. (I start the carrots ahead of the other vegetables so everything finishes cooking at the same time) Add the turkey stock and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and simmer, adding the beans and turkey, until the vegetables are cooked to the desired consistency. Add the spinach, parsley and spices and adjust for seasoning. Just before serving, add the pasta, to taste, and serve with grated cheese alongside.

Turkey Chowder

I started out following Jasper White's recipe for turkey chowder this evening, but quickly strayed from the text. In my humble opinion, the results were magnificent. I used lean turkey bacon instead of pork, cut way down on the butter, added sherry for greater depth of flavor, used a little leftover turkey gravy as a thickener instead of heavy cream, and threw in some chopped garlic and fresh herbs for a little extra oomph. I think its pretty safe to say that its no longer Jasper White's chowder...

1 teaspoon unsalted butter
4 ounces turkey bacon, cut into large dice
1 large yellow onion, cut into large dice
3 stalks of celery, cut into 1/2 inch slices
3 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves removed, coarsely chopped
6 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped
3 sprigs of fresh oregano, leaves removed, coarsely chopped
1 1/2 pounds new potatoes, cut into large dice
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
1/4 cup dry sherry
4 cups of turkey stock
1 lb leftover turkey meat, shredded
1 1/2 cups turkey gravy (or whole milk)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Chopped fresh parsley for garnish

In a large pot, brown the turkey bacon in the butter. Add the onion and celery and sweat the vegetables until they soften a bit but do not brown. Add the fresh herbs, garlic and potatoes. Raise the heat to medium high and add the sherry, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the stock. It should just barely cover the potatoes. Cook vigorously until the potatoes are cooked through but still hold their shape, about 10 minutes. Add the shredded turkey and simmer until heated through. Add the gravy or milk and adjust the seasoning to taste. Garnish with parsley and serve hot with some crusty bread.

Turkey Stock

Man, I love Thanksgiving. Its a great excuse to cook for a whole week straight. This recipe makes a very rich and flavorful stock.

1 turkey carcass, broken into pieces, along with any left over juices or gravy
1 T olive oil
Coarsely chop the following vegetables:
2 large onions
6 cloves of garlic
4 ribs of celery
1/2 cup carrots
1/2 cup turnips
1/2 cup
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Either roast the 4 sprigs of fresh thyme
4 sprigs of fresh oregano
1 T black peppercorns
leeks
2 cubes of chicken boullion
2 bay leaves
3 T garlic powder
salt, to taste
1 cup white wine
11 cups water, or enough to cover all ingredients

Roast the carcass in a 400 degree oven until the bones are browned. Set aside. Saute all of the vegetables in the oil in a large stock pot over high heat for just a few minutes, until they begin to release some moisture. Add the rest of the ingredients. Bring the stock to a boil and then simmer it, partially covered, for 3 hours. Strain the stock and skim off the fat.
Makes 8-10 cups of stock.