01-28-2005, 04:14 AM
5 pounds turtle meat with bone, thawed if frozen (makes 3 pounds without bone) (see note)
4 quarts water
Seasoning mix (see recipe)
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound spinach, washed, stems removed, very finely chopped
2 cups very finely chopped onions
1 cup very finely chopped celery
3 1/2 cups tomato sauce
2/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup lightly packed fresh parsley
1/4 lemon, seeded (use a thin-skinned lemon, do not peel)
6 hard cooked eggs, shelled
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup sherry plus additional sherry to serve at the table (divided)
Salt to taste
Boil turtle meat in water 1 hour or until tender. Cooking time varies, depending on whether meat is fresh or frozen. Refrigerate overnight and proceed the next day or when cool enough to handle. Remove from stock and take meat off bones and remove gristle. Set aside. Strain stock into another large bowl or pot and set aside.
Make seasoning mix.
To make soup: In large pot, heat oil. Add seasoning mix, spinach, onions and celery; saute about 15 minutes, stirring often. Stir in tomato sauce, then add flour and garlic, mixing well.
Finely mince reserved turtle meat and add with stock to pot. Simmer soup 2 hours, or until vegetables are tender.
In blender or food processor, process parsley and lemon until both are minced. Add eggs and process a few seconds, or until eggs are coarsely chopped. Add to soup.
Add Worcestershire sauce and 1/4 cup of the sherry. Cook 1 hour, add salt to taste. Remove from heat and remove bay leaves. Serve immediately, adding 1 to 3 tablespoons sherry, depending on size of bowl, to each serving at the table. Makes 8 to 10 main-course servings or 16 to 20 side-dish servings.
Notes: This recipe works best if using a food processor to finely chop all vegetables. If a food processor is not available, this can be done manually. Turtle meat is available at Empire Fish Co. as well as some other area fish markets.Seasoning mix:
5 bay leaves
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons white pepper
1 3/4 teaspoons garlic powder
1 3/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried sweet basil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Combine ingredients in small bowl and mix well.
4 quarts water
Seasoning mix (see recipe)
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound spinach, washed, stems removed, very finely chopped
2 cups very finely chopped onions
1 cup very finely chopped celery
3 1/2 cups tomato sauce
2/3 cup flour
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup lightly packed fresh parsley
1/4 lemon, seeded (use a thin-skinned lemon, do not peel)
6 hard cooked eggs, shelled
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup sherry plus additional sherry to serve at the table (divided)
Salt to taste
Boil turtle meat in water 1 hour or until tender. Cooking time varies, depending on whether meat is fresh or frozen. Refrigerate overnight and proceed the next day or when cool enough to handle. Remove from stock and take meat off bones and remove gristle. Set aside. Strain stock into another large bowl or pot and set aside.
Make seasoning mix.
To make soup: In large pot, heat oil. Add seasoning mix, spinach, onions and celery; saute about 15 minutes, stirring often. Stir in tomato sauce, then add flour and garlic, mixing well.
Finely mince reserved turtle meat and add with stock to pot. Simmer soup 2 hours, or until vegetables are tender.
In blender or food processor, process parsley and lemon until both are minced. Add eggs and process a few seconds, or until eggs are coarsely chopped. Add to soup.
Add Worcestershire sauce and 1/4 cup of the sherry. Cook 1 hour, add salt to taste. Remove from heat and remove bay leaves. Serve immediately, adding 1 to 3 tablespoons sherry, depending on size of bowl, to each serving at the table. Makes 8 to 10 main-course servings or 16 to 20 side-dish servings.
Notes: This recipe works best if using a food processor to finely chop all vegetables. If a food processor is not available, this can be done manually. Turtle meat is available at Empire Fish Co. as well as some other area fish markets.Seasoning mix:
5 bay leaves
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons white pepper
1 3/4 teaspoons garlic powder
1 3/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried sweet basil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Combine ingredients in small bowl and mix well.