Projo Subterranean Homepage News

Turkey soup means two things: Simmer the carcass and/or use leftover turkey in a soup.

You can do either step without doing the other: Simmering the carcass with vegetables and spices makes turkey stock. You extract all the flavor from the bones and bits and veggies, strain and discard them.

After that, you make soup with this stock roasted turkey meat and new vegetables and spices.

If you only have take-home turkey, or don't want to deal with the skeleton, use a good natural vegetable or chicken stock to make soup.

Marc Bouchard at the Nashua (N.H.) Telegraph has excellent tips (Get your turkey ready for post-holiday soups) such as,

• Building a soup is a lot like building a sauce; it will taste more interesting, more complex if you do it in layers. Don't just throw everything into the pot at once; instead, add ingredients a few at a time.

• Begin by gently sauteing a vegetable base - such as a mirepoix of chopped celery, onions and carrots - to concentrate their flavors. This step will lend a deep, almost-roasted flavor to the soup.

• Seasonings such as garlic, tomato paste, spices and herbs will be mellower if you saute them with the mirepoix for a few minutes before adding any liquid.

• Whatever the recipe, make sure that there is at least one special ingredient that gives the soup an "edge." It might be an extra spice, a hint of sweetness, the acidic bite of a few drops of lemon juice or an unexpected herb.

There are more, and they'll all help make the difference between leftovers tea and a sublime brew that's more than the sum of its parts.

At AnnArbor.com, Peggy Lampman's Savory turkey soup, at right, is the recyclers' version:

This recipe is loosey-goosey, the ultimate "kitchen sink" soup, as the end result largely depends on your holiday leftovers. I used my leftover turkey meat, "Wild Rice, Fennel and Sausage" stuffing as well as leftover "Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Mushrooms"--the mashed potatoes slightly thickens the stock into a silky, savory brew.

Karla Billdt, writing in the Yuma (Ariz.) Sun (Mom's noodles make turkey soup), does it all from scratch -- stock, soup and homemade noodles.

Elise Bauer of Simply Recipes walks you through both steps with Mom's Turkey Soup Recipe. If you simply want to make soup with root vegetables, try her Dad's Turkey Stew Recipe, skipping the browning step. (He starts with raw turkey thighs, you won't.)

If you want to skip the stock and start elsewhere, check out the tomato-based turkey-noodle soup with mixed veggies at Second time around: What to do with those Thanksgiving leftovers. Pictured at right, it's from Pamela Silvestri in the Staten Island (N.Y.) Advance. There are also recipes for Tettrazini and Turkey-Noodle Bake.

And if you want to do something completely different, Debbi Snook at the Cleveland Plain Dealer is with you (Encore presentations make Thanksgiving leftovers shine):

Turkey and Red Wine Lasagna: The assertive flavor of turkey stands up well to our beloved tomato sauce. Slice 2 cloves of garlic and saute them in a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add 2 cups of turkey meat pieces and heat through. Add a half-cup of red wine and let it simmer until almost gone. Add a tall jar of your favorite prepared sauce or the same amount of your own simple tomato sauce. Simmer a few minutes more. Serve it with pasta or layer it with cheese in your favorite lasagna recipe. (Don't forget to freeze an extra batch, using some of your turkey leftovers, for later.)

She also offers Cranberry Quesadilla, Waldorf Salad, Turkey Chili and more.