Turtle Soup

Ingredients:

• ¼ C salt
• ¾ C fresh or frozen turtle meat
• ¾ C ground veal shank meat
• 6 C veal stock
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 pinch whole dried thyme
• 3 tbs tomato pureé
• ½ C celery, chopped
• 1 C green onions, chopped
• ½ C white onions, chopped
• 1 tbs fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 lemons, halved
• 3 tbs sherry
• 2 eggs, hard-boiled and chopped
• 2 tbs roux
• Salt and white pepper to taste

Combine eight qt of water and half the salt in each of two large pots and bring to a boil over high heat. Place the turtle meat in one, the veal in the other, and simmer both for 45 minutes. Remove both pots from heat, drain the meat, and chop both meats coarsely in a food processor. Keep warm until needed.

Place the veal stock, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme in a large pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the tomato pureé, vegetables, parsley and lemons, and bring back to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the two kinds of meat and the sherry. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the eggs, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Thicken by adding small amounts of the roux.

Add a final splash of sherry to each individual bowl when serving.

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Michael Fritsche
mbf@fritsche.org

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