TURKEY  SOUP ~ ASIAN STYLE
This Asian-inspired soup is so delicious for your Thanksgiving leftovers.  A hearty soup that is  bursting with flavour and coconut creamy.  Perfect for a quick dinner.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup sliced portobello mushrooms or shitake mushrooms
• 1 cup of sliced carrots (about 1 large or 2 small)
• 2 tablespoons red curry paste
• 1 tablespoon minced lemongrass or puree
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound of cubed turkey (or chicken)
• 1 quart (4 cups) turkey or chicken broth
• 1 ~ 5 1/2 oz. can regular (not light) coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce or reduced sodium soy sauce
• 1 cup fresh or frozen peas
• salt and pepper to taste
• 0.25 pounds (4 oz.) udon noodles, thick spaghetti or kamut noodles

Lime wedges for serving (optional)
Cilantro for serving (optional)
🌶️ 🌶️ Hot chili peppers – to taste (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat the olive oil in a 3 to 4 quart sauce pan or dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for 3 to 4 minutes just until the mushrooms begin to brown.
2. Add the carrots, curry paste, lemongrass, ginger, garlic and stir together. Add the cubed turkey (add chili peppers  here  -optional) and cook, stirring occasionally for 2-3 minutes.
3. Stir in the chicken broth, coconut milk and fish sauce or soy sauce and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes and then add the noodles and cook for 5-7 minutes more, until the noodles are tender. Add the frozen or fresh peas. They will heat up sufficiently to serve without turning brown or overcooking.
4. Divide between 4 bowls. Serve with lime wedges and cilantro leaves for garnish.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.

FOOD TIP
The best turkey stock  from your Thanksgiving turkey will blow away the winter chill. Make this stock yourself with veggies, onions and end of season garden herbs right after you finish your Thanksgiving dinner. Throw the turkey carcass right into a pot of boiling water.  You will guard yourself from those sniffles and colds with home made turkey soup.

What a perfect way to keep healthy. Turkey and chicken soup have the same benefits.  A proven anti-inflammatory effect, causing a reduction of chest congestion! Plus, with turkey soup, you have the added benefit of triptophan to help calm and sooth; providing the perfect relief for the day when you need the warmth and comfort only hot soup can provide.

. . . MY FIRST COLD OF THE WINTER SEASON

YESTERDAY MORNING, I woke up with a scratchy throat and a slight cough. Visions of chicken soup danced in my head. Off to the market I go! I needed more stock. Grain fed organic chicken bones with no added hormones and a local fowl would be my soup base.  After I made my stock, I had a hot cup of clear broth before going to bed and a big bowl of spicy curry turkey  soup for lunch the next day, with all the goodness of garlic, ginger,  carrots and more.   I was already feeling better!

This is the chilly season and that spells S-O-U-P!

How nice of Arthur to send pictures of his  ‘HOT’ Turkey Soup! (makes enough for two more lunches  – for a single guy)