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Turkey Soup with Mushrooms, Sherry and Rice Pilaf

Serves 4

Satisfy your family and friends with this simple but super turkey vegetable soup – it’s great for using up roasted turkey breast leftovers, or you can use rotisserie turkey or chicken.

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1/2 cup orzo
  • 1 cup long grain rice
  • 8 cups chicken stock or broth, divided
  • 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
  • 1-1 1/2 pounds button mushrooms or crimini mushrooms, sliced
  • 4 cloves garlic, very thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/2 cup dry sherry or Marsala wine (optional)
  • 1 large or 2 medium leeks, halved and thinly sliced
  • 2 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1/4-inch dice
  • 1 onion, chopped into 1/4-inch dice
  • 2 ribs celery, chopped
  • 1 large bay leaf
  • 1 vine-ripened tomato, finely chopped
  • 1 pound roast turkey or chicken, diced
  • 1 baguette, to pass at table

Directions

  1. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a medium size pot over medium heat until it foams. Add the orzo and toast until deep gold in color. Add the rice and stir for 1 minute, then add in 2 1/2 cups stock or broth. Cover and simmer over low heat for 18 minutes; fluff with a fork and add the parsley. Reserve.
  2. Heat a soup pot over medium to medium-high heat with EVOO, two turns of the pan, and melt in the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Add the mushrooms and cook to deep brown, 15 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper and stir for a minute or two. Add in the sherry or Marsala, if using, and reduce for 1-2 minutes. Add in the leeks, carrots, onion, celery and bay leaf. Cover and sweat for 5 minutes, then add the tomato and stir. Add the remaining stock and turkey or chicken; let simmer to combine the flavors.
  3. To serve, add the rice to soup bowls and top with the soup. Serve with warm bread and butter alongside.

Cooking with alcohol enhances the flavors of certain dishes. Some of the alcohol burns off in the process of cooking. If you are concerned about using alcohol when you cook, you may use the appropriate substitute listed in the ingredients.