Curried Turkey, Apple and Sweet Potato Soup

Created by Turkey Shoppe on February 6, 2020

This recipe comes from Harrowsmith magazine; and we loved it so much we entered it in the St Thomas Heart and Stroke Foundation "Soup's On" Competition.  The only change we made was omitting the flour.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup dark raisins
• 1 1/2 cup lager beer
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 lbs turkey drums or bone in thighs
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 tart apples, unpeeled, cored and diced
• 1 tbsp mild curry powder
• 2 tsp fresh gingerroot, finely minced
• 2 tbsp all purpose flour - optional
• 4 cups turkey stock
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 1 small cinnamon stick (1 inch)
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and finely diced
• salt and pepper to taste

DirectionsIn a small bowl, soak the raisins in the beer and set aside.

Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium high heat.  Add the turkey legs and saute until they start to brown and are beginning to cook through. Remove the pan and set aside in a bowl.

Add the butter to the pan, and when bubbly, add the onion and saute until translucent. Be sure to scrape up any of the brown bits on the bottom of the pan and stir them in.

Add the diced apples and saute until softened, 3 - 4 minutes.

Sprinkle curry powder over top and reduce the heat to medium low.  Cover the pan and continue to cook for 8 minutes.

Stir in the ginger and cook 2 minutes longer.

Drain the raisins, reserving the beer and the raisins.

Sprinkle the flour over the apple mixture and cook over low heat for 1 minute.

Slowly add the reserved beer in the pan, stirring to smooth any lumps.  Cook for 5 minutes until hot and smooth.

Add the raisins and transfer the mixture to a food processor and whirl until smooth.

Place the turkey stock, apple cider, cinnamon stick and soy sauce in a large stock pot over medium high heat.  Add the reserved turkey legs. Bring to a boil; then turn down the heat and simmer partially covered, until the meat is cooked through, approximately 20 minutes.  Retrieve the drums, and when cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones and dice into small pieces and set aside.

Add the diced sweet potato to the stock pot and cook until the potatoes are tender, approximately 20 minutes.

Remove the cinnamon stick from the stock and stir in the apple puree.  Season with salt and pepper.

Add the diced turkey and simmer over low heat to make the flavours blend.

This soup improves when it is allowed to rest overnight so the flavours can bloom.