= Makes: 5 quarts
= Serving size: 2 cups for a main course, 1 cup for a side
= Active time: 20 minutes
= Total time: 1 hour
This recipe makes soup for a crowd, like the crowd at a wedding. It was a comforting staple in Cindy’s grandmother’s kitchen. It’s perfect as a starter to a dinner party. No sugar, loads of fiber, even in a soup. Just takes a while. Soups are better with chicken broth or stock instead of water: richer, more flavorful. The more seasonings you add, the less salt you need!
Ingredients
1 small turkey, about 10 to 12 pounds
1 tablespoon dried sage
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
3 cups peeled and chopped yellow onion
3 cups chopped carrots
3 cups chopped celery
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 pound fresh spinach or kale, chopped
4 cups chopped zucchini
STEP 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F.
STEP 2: First, roast the turkey. Rub with the sage, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Place the turkey on a roasting rack set in a roasting pan. Bake for 2½ to 3 hours (or until a meat thermometer registers 165°F). Let the turkey rest until cool enough to handle. This can be done one or two days before, or you can use leftover turkey. Remove the breast meat and use it for sandwiches. Break the turkey into pieces, and remove as much meat off the bones as possible; chop and reserve. You will need at least 5 cups of diced meat.
STEP 3: Transfer the turkey pieces (but not the back) to a 2-gallon stockpot. Fill the pot with water until it’s two-thirds full, 24 cups. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour. Skim any scum that rises to the top. Remove the turkey bones from the stock with a slotted spoon.
STEP 4: In a 2-quart saucepan, sauté the onion, carrots, and celery until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Add the onion mixture to the stockpot. Cook for 20 minutes so all the flavors can get into the broth.
STEP 5: Add the spinach or kale and zucchini. Bring the soup back to a boil, reduce the heat, and let simmer for an additional 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the greens have wilted and the zucchini is tender.
STEP 6: Add the 5 cups reserved turkey meat to the soup. Simmer until the turkey is just warmed through, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve.
This soup can be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen for up to three months.
VARIATIONS:
• Use chicken stock in place of the water.
• Add cooked sweet potatoes, rice, or barley.
• If you want to make a smaller batch, halve all the vegetable amounts and use a turkey or chicken leg. Reserve the meat, as in the main recipe.
GOES WELL WITH:
• Tossed green salad
Per serving: Calories 410, Calories from Fat 60, Total Fat 7g (11% DV), Saturated Fat 2g (10% DV), Trans Fat 0g, Cholesterol 220mg (73% DV), Sodium 950mg (40% DV), Carbohydrates 14g (5% DV), Dietary Fiber 4g (16% DV), Sugars 5g, Added Sugar: 0g, Protein 70g, Vitamin A 270%, Vitamin C 120%, Calcium 15%, Iron 30%.