Recipe: Have leftover turkey? Use it in this soup

If you have a lovely load of leftover turkey, this delectable soup is a great way to use it to its best advantage. Yes, there is a long list of ingredients, but there isn’t anything tricky about its preparation.

Flavoring dust, made by grinding dried mushrooms, is the first ingredient. It offers deep, earthy flavor to the soup. I use a small (and inexpensive) coffee grinder that I reserve for spices. I made a big “S” on the lid to identify it so that it isn’t confused with its twin that is used for grinding coffee beans.

Wild Rice and Mushroom Soup with Turkey Option

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

INGREDIENTS

1/4 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms

5 garlic cloves, peeled (1 whole, 4 minced)

1 sprig fresh thyme and 1 bay leaf

Salt, divided use

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup wild rice

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 pound cremini mushrooms, trimmed, cleaned, sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 medium-sized brown onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon ground pepper

2/3 cup dry sherry

4 cups vegetable broth or chicken broth, plus more if needed

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup minced fresh chives

1/4 teaspoon minced lemon zest

1 cup coarsely chopped cooked boned and skinned turkey

PROCEDURE

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; preheat oven to 375 degrees. If dried shiitake are large, tear into pieces and grind in spice grinder until finely ground (pulse on and off at first) and set aside; you should have about 3 tablespoons. Bring 4 cups water, whole garlic clove, thyme sprig, bay leaf, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and baking soda to boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Add rice and return to boil. Cover and place in oven and bake until rice is tender, 35 to 40 minutes. Strain rice through fine-mesh strainer set in a 4-cup liquid measuring cup. Discard garlic, thyme sprig, and bay leaf; set aside.

2. Melt butter in Dutch oven over high heat. Add cremini mushrooms, onion, tomato paste, pepper, minced garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are browned and dark browned bits form on pan, about 15 minutes. Stir in sherry, scraping up browned bits and cook until pot is almost dry, about 2 minutes. Stir in ground shiitake “dust,” reserved rice cooking liquid, broth and soy sauce; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and gently simmer 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Whisk cornstarch and 1/4 cup water in small bowl until cornstarch dissolves; stir mixture into soup. Continue simmering about 2 minutes or until soup is thickened. Off heat stir in cooked rice, cream, chives, lemon zest and turkey. Cover and let stand for 20 minutes. If soup is too thick, add a little water or broth and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Source: America’s Test Kitchen (America’s Test Kitchen, $39.99)

Cooking question? Contact Cathy Thomas at cathythomascooks@gmail. com