Well. Hello, there. It’s been a while, hasn’t it? It feels a little awkward, coming back to this space, but good. It’s like getting back in touch with an old friend, someone you haven’t spoken to in forever, someone you’ve been meaning to text but haven’t, someone you miss but whom the effort it takes to contact is more than you can muster. But then, when you finally do reach out, and you talk or get together, it’s like no time has passed and you leave each other saying, “We should do this more often!” and meaning it. And you really want to, but life gets in the way.
An awful lot of life has happened for my little family in the last year. I say that not to make excuses, but just so you know why I’ve been gone so long. I’ll tell about it, as best I can; not today, but soon, and I hope you’ll understand.
Until then, thanks for sticking around. I’m going to share a recipe for turkey soup as a feeble attempt to make up for my long absence. My dad went rogue this Thanksgiving and cooked a small, organic, free-range turkey. And though there was a modicum left over (as compared to the heaping remains of 25-pound Butterballs of the past), it was more than enough for soup, and I was inspired by such a fine specimen of poultry. I don’t usually get too excited about turkey soup (or turkey anything), but this one turned out good enough for seconds.
Take care of your beautiful self (as my mom always says), and I’ll see you soon.
Turkey Soup
adapted from The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen by Rebecca Katz
Ingredients:
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 small (or half of a large) onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 small parsnip, peeled and diced
1 tbsp (or more to taste) minced garlic
1/4 tsp dried oregano
4 sprigs fresh thyme, or 1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp ground caraway (a really nice addition if you have it, but optional)
1/2 cup pearl barley, rinsed and drained
8 cups chicken stock
2 cups chopped or shredded cooked turkey
Juice of half a lemon (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Instructions:
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large stock pot. Add the onion, sprinkle with salt, and saute until soft and golden, about three minutes. Add the carrots, celery, and parsnip, and continue to saute for another three minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, thyme, caraway, and barley, and saute for another minute or so. Pour in the stock, raise the heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat so the soup simmers gently. Add the turkey and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the barley is tender. Turn off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, and taste and adjust for seasoning. Serve with good bread. Makes 4-6 servings, depending on whether or not you go back for seconds.
pruneandpear 