Tag Archives: turkey

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Holiday Restorative: Thanksgiving Turkey Broth/Soup

1000 Foods (pgs. 630 – 631)

            For non-American readers, the Thanksgiving holiday might seem a little strange. Celebrating what we’re thankful for with a feast is straightforward enough. The odd part is that tradition dictates a number of specific dishes. In a large country with a huge variety of terrain, climate, and natural vegetation, not to mention national origins, millions of people are eating pretty much the same thing. Turkey is almost always the centerpiece and is the symbol of Thanksgiving. Some households will opt for ham or a vegetarian option, but that’s usually as far as variety goes. Gravy and cranberry sauce accompany the turkey. Sides include potatoes, usually mashed, stuffing, and a few vegetables, particularly corn, carrots, and green beans. Pies are the favorite dessert. The most common flavors are apple and pumpkin.

A fairly typical Thanksgiving plate. Not pictured: pie for dessert.

            Not every menu will necessarily have every item on the list, and there is some regional variation. One feature of Thanksgiving that’s pretty universal is the large quantity of leftovers. Turkeys are massive. Even after sending leftovers home with their guests, most cooks will have quite a bit of carved meat, plus a large carcass. Usually, a fair amount of meat is stuck to the bones. One way to get it off is to make soup. Slow simmering keeps the lean turkey tender while deeply flavoring the broth. Throw in a selection of fresh and leftover vegetables, and you have an easy way to minimize waste. It’s especially great for anyone who catches a respiratory infection from a Thanksgiving get-together.

Turkey vegetable soup and leftover rolls. The soup worked – I didn’t get a sinus infection.

            Soup actually does help with cold and flu-type illnesses. The hot liquid and the moisture evaporating from it help to open up the airways. Other common home remedies like tea and a warm shower work in the same way. While this won’t do anything against a cold or flu virus, it does help loosen up any mucus and allow it to drain more easily. This is important because mucus that gets stuck becomes a breeding ground for bacteria, leading to a sinus infection or pneumonia, depending on its location. Plus, soup is easy to eat with a sore throat. There’s a reason societies from North America to Europe to China rely on it to soothe whatever winter throws at them.

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Cook’s Tour of Italy Menu 45 (Pgs. 139 – 140): Turkey Breast Baked with Prosciutto and Cheese to Resemble a Cardinal’s Hat

Region: Veneto

Menu: Prosciutto-Wrapped Turkey Breast with Cheese, Marinated Tomatoes

            Compared to most other forms of poultry, turkeys are a recent arrival in Europe. Native to North America, they were first brought back to Europe by Columbus at some point during the 1490s. Unlike tomatoes, potatoes, and chocolate, which took decades or even centuries to become widespread, the turkey caught on pretty much right away. Turkeys were being raised in Spain within 20 years and were popular in England by Shakespeare’s time.

            The reason for this is probably due to Medieval and Renaissance dining customs. At the time, the “noblest” foods were the various types of fowl, and the variety consumed was astounding. Along with chickens, geese, and ducks, kings and nobles raised pigeons on their estates, hunted pheasants and quails, and even ate things like larks, cranes, and herons. For banquets, the centerpiece would be the biggest, showiest bird they could find, often a swan or peacock. While these displays were impressive, particularly when the roasted birds were sewn back into their feathers to arrive at the table looking alive, most sources suggest that neither of them tasted particularly good. When another impressively-sized bird that did taste good became available, it’s hardly surprising that it became popular immediately.

            Contrary to what most people think of when they hear the phrase “Italian food,” roast turkey is actually a popular Christmas dish in many parts of the country. Here is a simpler preparation, where a slice of turkey breast is wrapped in prosciutto, topped with cheese, broiled, then topped with marinated tomatoes or beets. This is supposed to resemble a Cardinal’s hat, but admittedly, I’m having trouble seeing it. I’m not sure if this played a role, but I did make a minor adjustment. The recipe called for slices of raw turkey breast, but since I had leftover roast turkey, that was what I used. I was a little worried about it drying out, but the prosciutto and cheese kept that from happening. It was pretty good, but I’m not sure if I’d make this again, given all of the other dishes that can be made with leftover turkey.

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