Turkey Soup with Stuffing Dumplings
Carcass from a roasted turkey, hacked into large pieces with a meat
cleaver or large, heavy knife
1 large carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 large Spanish onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 large leek, white part plus 1 inch of green, coarsely chopped, and
washed well
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
Coarse salt
1 large egg yolk, beaten
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme, parsley, or sage,
or a combination, plus more for serving, optional
1 cup leftover stuffing
1 cup chopped, leftover turkey
1 cup chopped leftover cooked vegetables such as onion, carrot, or
celery, or a combination, optional
Put the turkey carcass pieces, raw carrot, onion, celery, leek,
peppercorns, and 1 tablespoon of salt in a stockpot and add enough
water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat,
then lower the heat and simmer for 2 to 4 hours, skimming off any
foam that rises to the surface during this time. The soup will be
ready after 2 hours, but will intensify in turkey flavor as it
continues to simmer. Taste frequently and remove from the heat when
you are satisfied.
While the soup is simmering, prepare the dumplings. Put the egg yolk
in a large bowl and season lightly with salt and pepper. Add the
herbs and beat well. Add the stuffing and stir gently but thoroughly
to combine. Remove a tablespoon of batter at a time and form it into
a ball-shaped dumpling between the palms of your hands. Set on a
large plate. Repeat until all the batter has been used. Cover the
plate loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Strain the soup through a fine-mesh strainer set over a large bowl.
Discard the solids. If not serving immediately, let cool, cover, and
refrigerate overnight.
Wipe out the pot and pour the soup into it. Bring to a gentle boil
over medium-high heat. Carefully lower the dumplings into the soup
and heat through, about 7 minutes. If desired, add chopped leftover
turkey, diced vegetables, or additional chopped herbs during the
last 2 minutes of cooking time. Taste and season with salt and
pepper.
To serve, ladle some soup into each of 6 bowls, making sure to
include a few dumplings in each serving.
To Make More Soup
For more soup, add more water before simmering, or add chicken broth
to the strained stock in Step 3. For each additional cup of
stuffing, add 1 more egg to make the dumplings, and increase the
chopped herbs by 1 tablespoon. Add more diced turkey and vegetables
as desired.
Serves 6 |