Post Christmas Turkey Soup - A Boxing Day Special

Hope you all had or are having a good Boxing Day. Boxing Day is traditionally the day after Christmas when those in service roles at home or work were given gifts, money, etc. The origins of the name is still uncertain. This day is also a public holiday in most Western countries. The recipe I have for you was also made last year after our Turkey meal for Christmas. It is a simple recipe made of the turkey carcass, some of the turkey meat and some veggies. I must say it is quite filling in itself.

Remove the usable meat from the turkey carcass which you can use to make nice, delicious turkey sandwiches (with some of the turkey drippings that were not used for the gravy) for the morning after Christmas. You can also use some of the turkey meat for this soup and make the stock right after the Christmas meal.

You need:

• Turkey carcass, skin
• Leftover turkey meat, giblets and drippings
• 1 large shallot
• 5-6 cloves of garlic
• 1" crushed ginger
• Water as required
• 4 carrots, diced
• 2-3 strands of fresh or dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1-2 Celery
• 1-2 bunches of parsley, diced
• Crushed Peppercorns to taste
• 2 diced tomatoes
• 200 gms of diced button mushrooms
• 1 onion diced
• Noodles/Rice - optional
• Mashed potatoes - optional
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Dash of tobasco or hot chili sauce

The make:

Preparation Time: 20 minutes | Cooking time: 60 minutes | Servings depend on quantity of unused turkey

1. Break up the leftover bones in a large, deep bottomed pot along with some of the turkey skin and cover it with water by about an inch. Some of the drippings that were not used for the gravy and the unused giblets can also be added to the pot. Add a diced shallot, some garlic, 2 carrots, parsley, bay leaf, celery tops and the peppercorns.

2. Bring the contents in the pot to a boil on high temperature. Lower the heat to low-medium . Skim off any fatty residue that arise on the surface.

3. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remember the turkey and drippings may contain sufficient salt so take care on adding more salt to the mix.
4. You can either continue to cook the soup over a medium or low flame for about an hour or turn to an oven of about 150◦C for about an hour. You can later take off any residual foamy contents from the surface.
5. Next strain the contents through a fine, mesh sieve.
6. Return the strained stock to the deep bottomed pot  and add your choice of veggies - carrots, onions, mushrooms, celery, parsley, sage and/ or thyme on a medium-low heat and cook the veggies.
7. Once the veggies are cooked, add the tomatoes and you can add noodles, pasta or some cooked rice. You can now add the turkey meat. Top with some salt and pepper or a dash of tobasco or hot chili sauce for an extra kick.

Enjoy with some crusty bread or a simple green salad!