Want a great way to use up left-over turkey? Or how about you just want to make a yummy soup to warm the soul on a winter day? This is the soup for you. Try it once and you’ll be making it again and again.
Ingredients:
Soup
1 Tbsp olive oil, plus 1-1/2 to 2 cups for frying the tortillas
1/2 C diced onion
1/2 – 1 jalapeño chili (depending on how hot you want it), seeded and finely diced
OR 1-2 Tbsp canned jalapeño
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 quart turkey broth
1/4 C cilantro, chopped
1 C diced leftover turkey
1/2 C fresh or frozen corn
1/2 C canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 C lime juice
Salt and pepper
Tortilla strips
3 6-inch corn tortillas, cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips
1 1/2 to 2 C vegetable oil
Garnish
3/4 C diced fresh tomato
1/2 C sliced green onions
1 chopped avocado
1/2-1 C grated cheese
Directions:
Heat olive oil in a heavy saucepan and sauté the onion, garlic and chili. Add tomato paste and broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered about 20-30 minutes until the broth has reduced by about a third and flavors are more concentrated.
Salt and pepper to taste.
While the broth reduces, fry the tortilla strips: Pour 1 inch of vegetable oil into a small, high-sided saucepan (a 6-inch-diameter pan needs about 11⁄2-2 cups of oil). Heat oil to 350°F. Add a handful of tortilla strips to the oil and fry until the strips are crisp and very lightly browned. Stir while chips are frying to prevent them from sticking and clumping together. Remove to a plate lined with paper towels and sprinkle with salt while they’re still hot. Repeat until all the strips are fried.
Add turkey, cilantro, corn and beans to the reduced broth and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5- 10 minutes. Add lime juice and ladle into bowls.
Garnish with tomatoes, avocado, green onion and tortilla strips.
Note: My family doesn’t like avocados. (Well I do, but I’m outnumbered.) We used sliced black olives as a garnish instead.
Like this recipe? You’ll find more like this in my recipe book, Gobble This Up. Three dozen recipes, from soups and salads to horse d’ oeuvres and main dishes, you’ll never wonder what to do with turkey leftovers again.
