I tend not to share too much about my personal life here or on social media, unless of course, it’s about food. This is about both.
I just had surgery on my rotator cuff and bicep, and unfortunately, it’s on my right side, my dominant side. So besides the painful recovery, I couldn’t really do two of my favorite things – writing or cooking. Mostly, I just lay on the couch. Pretty depressing.
Then I received a “Spoonful of Comfort” package with some chicken soup and chocolate chip cookies from my friend Judy P. What a thoughtful surprise!
And then I got a text from Marybeth Cashman – she and Chris had made soup and were bringing it over. Of course I protested – don’t we all do that? “No, I’m fine, thanks, my daughter is here,” I said. But a lovely Cashman care package of soup and bread and comfort tea was soon at my door.
The truth was, I was really grateful. Not just for the food, but for the care, the effort, and the genuine warmth they brought with them. In the middle of feeling so physically out of it, it was a reminder that I wasn’t alone. I felt a little lighter—both from the food and from the simple comfort of knowing that even on the toughest days, friends always seem to know exactly what you need.
The Cashmans’ soup was really delicious and a great thing to save for your Thanksgiving leftovers, so I asked if I could share the recipe. They generously agreed. Give it a try – I hope it brings you the same warmth and comfort it brought me.
INGREDIENTS
Turkey Wild Rice Soup
2 red peppers
2 ribs celery
1 carrot
1 onion
2 packages pre-cooked wild rice mix OR ¼ uncooked wild rice
8 Tbsp butter
7/8 cup all purpose flour
½ tsp white pepper
3 cups half and half
3 quarts homemade turkey stock (you can cheat and use store bought but it’s not going to taste the same!)
1 lb cooked turkey, diced
Salt, pepper, ground sage, oregano, paprika – to taste.
METHOD
Make the stock by tossing a turkey carcass in a pot with 1-2 quartered onions, a few ribs of celery, and whatever else you have on hand. Cover with water, bring to a boil and let simmer at least an hour so it cooks down into a stunning opaque stock. Strain it. You can make this ahead in large quantities and freeze in quarts. If using frozen stock, warm it back up in a saucepan.
Roast the red peppers under a broiler, rotating a few times, until skins are charred all over. Put the peppers in a quart Ziploc bag to steam for a few minutes. Remove the skins and seeds, dice the peppers and set aside.
Dice the celery, carrot and onions. Set aside in a separate bowl.
If using raw rice, cook it according to the directions. If using a pre-cooked pack, keep going.
Melt butter in a large pot. Add the raw diced vegetables and cook for 5 minutes until softened some. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for another 5 minutes. Add the stock a little at a time, mixing into veggie-flour mixture with a whisk until it’s all incorporated. Stir in the diced, roasted peppers. Add water if the soup seems too thick.
Simmer the soup for 15 minutes. Blend with a stick blender (easier) or puree in a blender in batches and return to the pot (messier.)
Add the diced turkey, rice, and stir in the half and half. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Makes 4-5 quarts. Modified from Smoked Turkey with Wild Rice from the foodnetwork.com.
A HUGE HUGE thanks to everyone who brought food or a flower over or swept my sidewalk or just dropped by to check in on me during a rough time - it’s impossible to say how much I appreciate you!
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