Karl’s Turkey Italian Stew

Jan has been sick for the last few weeks, so I have been making a lot of chick soup. Since it is November and turkey necks are available and cheep, I decided to switch it up and make turkey stew. Three necks make for a hearty stock, but I am tired of noodles. Cannellini beans led me to think of this one as  Italian.

Karl’s Turkey Italian Stew

Ingredients

3 turkey necks
2 turkey tenders
Pinch Kosher salt
1 Tbs. unsalted butter

1 large onion, separate uses
3 stalks celery, separate uses
1 carrot, separate uses
4 cloves garlic, sliced
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 Tbs. poultry seasoning
½ tsp. black pepper
2 bay leaves

1 red pepper
1 can cannellini beans (15.5 oz.)
2 beef steak tomatoes
½ cup flat leafed parsley

Directions

1. Salt the turkey with a pinch of salt and brown the necks well in the butter melted in the soup pot.

2. Lightly brown the tenders. Remove the turkey to a plate.

Tip: Lightly browning the tenders prevents them from exuding their liquids while boiling and creating a gummy froth that has to be strained away.

3. Chop the half of the onions, celery and carrot into a fine dice. Coarsely chop the rest and set aside.

4. Without cleaning the pot, add the diced onions and sauté for 5 minutes, until starting to pick up some color.

5. Add the dices celery and carrots and continue sautéing for 4 more minutes.

Tip: I plan to blend these vegetables so you may grate the carrot instead of dicing it.

6. Pull the vegetables to the edges of the pot and add the garlic to the hole in the middle, sauté for one minute and then mix in the rest of the vegetables.

7. Add the chicken broth, poultry seasoning, pepper, bay leaves.

Tip: If you wish you may choose to use all water and leave out the chicken broth.

8. Return the turkey to the pot.

Tip: Rinse any juices on the plate into the pot with a bit of hot water. Save the plate.

9. Bring the pot to a boil, cover and reduce the heat. Simmer for twenty minutes.

10. Remove the turkey necks and cut off any large pieces of meat. Place the meat on the plate and return the necks to the pot.

Tip: Hold the necks with a pair of tongs and slide a knife along the back and bottom of the necks.

11. Remove the turkey tenders to the plate and place them, covered, in the refrigerator.

12. Recover the pot and continue simmering for at least one hour.

Tip: Two hours is better and three is best. It depends on how much time you have before dinner.

13. While the soup is simmering, roast the red pepper until blackened on all sides and then peel, seed and coarsely chop it.

Tip: Placing the pepper in a plastic bag while it is cooling will steam it and make the skin easier to remove.

14. Remove the necks to a bowl and when cool enough to handle strip all of the meat. Add the meat to the plate.

15. Remove the bay leaves from the pot.

Tip: You may discard the bay leaves at this point or return them to the pot after blending the stock.

16. Add two cups of water to the pot to cool the stock.

Tip: You may use more chicken broth if you wish.

17. Blend the stock in a standing blender until smooth and return it to the pot.

Tip: You may need to do this in batches. If you do not want a completely smooth stock, an immersion blender will give you a rougher rustic texture.

18. Add the rest of the onion, celery, and carrot to the pot.

19. Add the red pepper and beans. Continue simmering for 15 minutes.

Tip: I am using canned beans for convenience and because I am planning to blend my stock. If you wish to use dried beans, add them to the pot at least an hour before you add the rest of the vegetables.

20. Coarsely chop and seed the tomatoes and chop the parsley.

21. Shred the turkey tenders and add all of the turkey, and tomatoes to the pot. Simmer for 5 more minutes.

22. Stir in most of the parsley and serve garnished with parsley and a dollop of cranberry sauce.