Leftovers, leftovers, what to do with all the leftovers! Well my favorite leftover cuisine is to mix turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing into a bowl and pour gravy over it and nuke it in the microwave. But some of you may have a more sophisticated and creative way of using up your leftovers so I found this soup for you to enjoy. It received such rave reviews on the internet that I thought I might step it up a notch and try this soup out with my leftovers this year . . . But don’t think I won’t also be gobbling down my bowl of Thanksgiving mush!
A simple bowl of goodness goes along side what I love most about Thanksgiving – the simplicity of its message – “be thankful for your blessings” and the fact that the holiday itself has never gotten lost in the commercialism or materialism that runs so rampant in the weeks approaching Christmas. My hope is that your Thanksgiving is / was wonderful and full of grace. As we head into the Christmas season may we all hold onto the idea of simplicity – and “let the holiday come to us” as our dear publisher is want to say . . . Peace to you all – The Happy Chef!
2/3 cup uncooked wild rice
2 cups water
6 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups turkey broth
1/3 cup shredded carrot
2 cups chopped cooked turkey
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1/4 cup chopped slivered almonds
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 cup half-and-half cream
-Bring the wild rice and water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the rice is tender but not mushy, 40 to 45 minutes. Drain off any excess liquid, fluff the rice with a fork, and cook uncovered 5 minutes more. Set the cooked rice aside.
-Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Cook and stir the onion and celery until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the flour, and cook until it turns a pale yellowish-brown color, 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually whisk in the turkey stock until no lumps of flour remain. Stir in the carrot. Bring the mixture to a simmer, and cook, whisking constantly, until the stock is thick and smooth and the carrot is tender, about 2 more minutes.
-Stir in the wild rice, turkey, salt, pepper, and almonds. Return to a simmer, and cook 2 more minutes to heat the ingredients. Stir in the lemon juice and half-and-half; bring the soup almost to a boil, and serve hot.
