Recipe

My Mother’s Garlic Soup with Turkey

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Photo by PhoebeLapine

This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Recipe for Turkey Leftovers
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PhoebeLapine's Notes: While most mothers stuck with the more traditional variations of chicken noodle, my memories of sick days home from school include two very important remedies: garlic soup and The Price is...
While most mothers stuck with the more traditional variations of chicken noodle, my memories of sick days home from school include two very important remedies: garlic soup and The Price is Right. My mother’s original version contained no meat, but after Thanksgiving last year, she whipped up a batch using leftover roast turkey. And without any ail besides an unhealthy case of stomach expansion, I felt all the comfort of my days being doted on in front of the television come back, even without Bob Barker.

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Serves 4

1 whole head of garlic Ask a question about this ingredient

1 ½ quarts chicken stock Ask a question about this ingredient

1/2 cup brown rice Ask a question about this ingredient

Pinch of cayenne Ask a question about this ingredient

½ tbsp rosemary or thyme, finely chopped (optional) Ask a question about this ingredient

1 cup roast turkey, roughly torn or chopped Ask a question about this ingredient

1 egg yolk Ask a question about this ingredient

Juice of half a lemon Ask a question about this ingredient

In a small saucepan, bring 1½ cups of water to a boil. With the back of your knife, crush the head of garlic so the cloves separate from the base. Add to the boiling water and blanch for 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the garlic, and let rest on the cutting board until cool enough to touch. The skin will come off extremely easily.
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In a medium casserole or soup pot, bring the chicken stock and the garlic cooking water to a boil. Add the brown rice, garlic cloves, herbs, and a pinch of cayenne. Simmer over medium heat with the lid on for 40 - 45 minutes, or until the rice is cooked. Add the roast turkey and simmer for 5 more minutes. Take the soup off the heat.
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In a shallow bowl, beat the egg yolk. Slowly whisk in a ladle of the broth to temper it. Make sure to add a very small amount at a time as to not cook the egg. Once fully incorporated, add to the soup with the lemon juice. The egg yolk should give the soup a subtle, silky quality, while the lemon adds brightness to the rich, sweet aroma of boiled garlic.
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5 Comments on My Mother’s Garlic Soup with Turkey

lapadia added about 1 year ago

Made this soup last night, an excellent way to use some of the leftover Thanksgiving turkey....delicious! Thanks for sharing it.

pudu added over 2 years ago

Love this recipe!

luvcookbooks added over 2 years ago

my this sounds delicious
like the garlic peeling method, new to me

KelseyTheNaptimeChef added over 2 years ago

This is such a great recipe! I remember those days, home sick from school. My mother administered the chicken tortellini soup & Cosby Show re-run cure.