Whew! Another Thanksgiving's come and gone. And, while we might feel like we shouldn't eat for a few days, we'll inevitably find ourselves feeling hungry before too long. Why not make this soup for when that happens, whether it's later today or a couple of days from now. Imagine a spicy blended soup boasting roasted garlic and tomatillos that's dotted with crisped leftover turkey and a few other goodies. Now imagine making the soup whenever you've got the time and crisping up that bird right before you serve it atop the soup!
I like this soup because the base is great on its own, but tossing some tasty tidbits on top makes it heaven. If you want to make it really fun, consider serving some thick tortilla chips alongside it as well. Think thematic crackers.
Truth be known, I like to make a double batch of this soup and have it for dinner the day after Thanksgiving, lunch the next day, and maybe even the day after that. There's been a lot of cooking going on lately and the quick crisping process takes about as much time as warming the soup and then I've got great food without having to start from scratch for a few days. Now that's something to be grateful for!
Roasted Garlic and Tomatillo Turkey Soup
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 quart tomatillos, husks removed, rinsed well
- 1 yellow onion, trimmed, peeled, and quartered
- 2-4 jalapeño peppers, according to your desire for heat
- 4 c. turkey or chicken stock
- 1-2 c. diced leftover turkey or chicken
- 1 T. cooking fat
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. granulated garlic
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper or other pepper blend
- Sour cream - for garnish
- Pickled radishes or onions - for garnish
- Crushed red pepper flakes - for garnish
Preheat the oven to 450° F.
Trim the woody base from the garlic cloves, then lightly smash with the side of a knife. Leave the papery skin intact. Arrange the garlic, tomatillos, onion, and peppers on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast for 20-30 minutes or until the vegetables are softened and slightly darkened.
Set the pan aside to cool. Under cold running water, remove the skin, stems, and seeds from the peppers. Slide the roasted garlic out of the papery skins and discard the skins.
Place all of the roasted vegetables in a large stockpot, add the turkey or chicken stock, and blend with an immersion blender until the mixture is well blended, but still has a bit of texture. Set over medium-low heat. If desired, refrigerate the soup for use on another day. It can be reheated over medium-low heat.
To serve, heat the leftover diced turkey or chicken in the cooking fat of your choice with the smoked paprika, granulated garlic, ground cumin, and cayenne pepper over medium-high heat until warmed and a little crispy. Serve chunks of the poultry alongside dollops of sour cream, pickled veggies, and sprinklings of crushed red pepper flakes over the roasted soup ladled into serving bowls.
- Yields: 4 servings
- Preparation Time: 45 minutes