Mardi Gras Mock Turtle Soup

No turtle meat, simply turkey breast tenderloin, onions, spinach, and a Cajun roux.

Recipe Ingredients:

6 tablespoon butter - divided use
1 medium onion, diced
3 ribs celery, diced
1/2 bulb garlic, cloves peeled and minced
1 large bell pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon thyme
1 1/2 teaspoon oregano
2 bay leaves
1 package Shady Brook Farms™ Fresh Boneless Turkey Tenderloins, cut into small chunks
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
1 quart stock
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 cup dry sherry
1 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 large lemon, juiced
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded, chopped
5-ounces fresh spinach, coarsely chopped (washed well and stems removed)
3 large hard-boiled eggs, chopped (large pieces)

Cooking Directions:

1. Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Place the onions, celery, garlic and bell pepper in the pot, stirring constantly, then add the thyme, oregano, and bay leaves, and sauté for 20 to 25 minutes, until the onions are transparent.
2. Add the turkey, seasoning with the salt and pepper, and cook until meat is no longer pink in the center, and the vegetables have caramelized.
3. Add the stock, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, periodically skimming away any fat that floats to the top.
4. While the soup is simmering, make a roux in a separate pot. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a small saucepan and add the flour a little at a time, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Take care not to burn the roux. After all the flour has been added, cook for about 3 minutes until the roux smells nutty, is pale in color, and has the consistency of wet sand. Set aside.
5. When the soup is ready, stir in the roux with a whisk a little at a time to prevent lumps. Simmer for 25 minutes. Stir often.
6. Add the sherry, bring to a boil, add the hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce and simmer, continuing to skim off any fat that floats to the top.
7. Add the lemon juice and tomatoes and return to a simmer. Add the spinach and the chopped egg, bring to a simmer.
8. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe provided courtesy of Shady Brook Farms, a division of Cargill, Incorporated. Used with permission.