Taking Leftover Turkey South of the Border

By Katie Barreira

It can be hard to gobble up all of those Thanksgiving leftovers. Well in Spanish, turkeys say gluglú gluglú and if you’re still picking your way through a holiday bird and just can’t bear the thought of another turkey sandwich, here’s a Mexican-inspired recipe that will have you gluglú-ing every last bite.

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Turkey Tortilla Soup
Serves 6

1 turkey carcass, meat picked from bones and reserved
2 large onions, one quartered and one chopped
1 large carrot, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 stalks celery, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 bay leaf
4 tablespoons corn or vegetable oil, divided
6 corn tortillas, chopped into 1-inch pieces
1 large jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 can (14-ounces) diced tomatoes
1-2 cup shredded leftover turkey meat (depending on what you have)
Salt and pepper
Choice of garnishes (see below)

1. Place picked carcass in a large pot with the quartered onion, the carrot, celery and bay leaf, then add about 8 cups of cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours. Strain stock, discard solids and reserve the pot.
2. Return the pot to medium-high heat with 3 tablespoons of the oil. Add chopped tortillas and cook, stirring often, until golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Add remaining oil, chopped onion, jalapeno and garlic; cook until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder and cumin and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and turkey stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, stir in shredded turkey meat and heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Serve topped with your favorite fixins, such as: tortilla chips, crumbled queso fresco, chopped avocado, minced red onion, fresh cilantro leaves, sour cream, lime wedges
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