Southwestern Turkey and Corn Chowder
ETA: I had a brilliant idea for a turkey mole soup but I'm going to put it on the backburner and use the leftover mole sauce for shrimp instead. I've not decided yet whether to serve it over pasta or rice.
Menus evolve and change and my original plan to make migas out of the refried beans, tostadas and pulled turkey leg in my fridge changed. I flirted briefly with a baked casserole, a white chili with turkey and no beans and then finally settled on this Southwestern Turkey and Corn Chowder ... mainly because it called for a cup of salsa verde and I had exactly that amount in a jar in my fridge. And a red pepper.
I DID have to run down to the grocery store to pick up a bag of frozen corn ... but hadn't remembered that canned green chilies were also needed. No biggie. I left them out. And, it turned out I really didn't need them as the soup already had a lovely spicy back note which was delicious.
Southwestern Turkey and Corn Chowder - makes 8-10 cups
6-8 slices bacon, diced
1 large (1 cup) onion, small dice
2 stalks (1 cup) celery, small dice
1 red bell pepper, small dice
6 cups turkey or chicken broth
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup (8 oz) green salsa (salsa verde)
1/4 cup flour + 1/2 cup cold water
1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies, undrained (omitted)
2-3 cups diced or shredded cooked turkey* (or chicken)
1 - 1 1/2* cups corn, frozen, canned or fresh
2 large (1 1/2 cups) carrots, small dice
2 large potatoes (1 1/2 cups), peeled and diced medium
1-2 cups additional vegetables (optional ie cauliflower, shredded cabbage, kale, spinach, chard, green beans)
1 1/2 cups shredded pepper jack or cheddar cheese*
Salt and pepper, to taste
Extra grated cheddar cheese for garnish
* Used
In a large saute pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until it's crisp (about 10 minutes). Remove the bacon from the pan and drain off the bacon grease, leaving 2 tbsp bacon drippings in the pan. Add the onion, celery and red pepper to the bacon drippings in the pot. Cook until tender.
Stir in the broth, cream and salsa verde. Mix flour with 1/2 cup water until no lumps remain. Stir into the saute pan. Bring to a gentle boil. Stir in the green chilies (if using), turkey or chicken, corn and carrots. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the diced potatoes. (If desired you can also add 1-2 cups of other vegetables at this point.)
Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Take saute pan off the heat and gradually stir in the cheese, a handful at a time, stirring until melted. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
Stir in reserved bacon, or sprinkle on top of individual bowls of chowder as garnish.
Menus evolve and change and my original plan to make migas out of the refried beans, tostadas and pulled turkey leg in my fridge changed. I flirted briefly with a baked casserole, a white chili with turkey and no beans and then finally settled on this Southwestern Turkey and Corn Chowder ... mainly because it called for a cup of salsa verde and I had exactly that amount in a jar in my fridge. And a red pepper.
I DID have to run down to the grocery store to pick up a bag of frozen corn ... but hadn't remembered that canned green chilies were also needed. No biggie. I left them out. And, it turned out I really didn't need them as the soup already had a lovely spicy back note which was delicious.
Southwestern Turkey and Corn Chowder - makes 8-10 cups
6-8 slices bacon, diced
1 large (1 cup) onion, small dice
2 stalks (1 cup) celery, small dice
1 red bell pepper, small dice
6 cups turkey or chicken broth
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup (8 oz) green salsa (salsa verde)
1/4 cup flour + 1/2 cup cold water
1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies, undrained (omitted)
2-3 cups diced or shredded cooked turkey* (or chicken)
1 - 1 1/2* cups corn, frozen, canned or fresh
2 large (1 1/2 cups) carrots, small dice
2 large potatoes (1 1/2 cups), peeled and diced medium
1-2 cups additional vegetables (optional ie cauliflower, shredded cabbage, kale, spinach, chard, green beans)
1 1/2 cups shredded pepper jack or cheddar cheese*
Salt and pepper, to taste
Extra grated cheddar cheese for garnish
* Used
In a large saute pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until it's crisp (about 10 minutes). Remove the bacon from the pan and drain off the bacon grease, leaving 2 tbsp bacon drippings in the pan. Add the onion, celery and red pepper to the bacon drippings in the pot. Cook until tender.
Stir in the broth, cream and salsa verde. Mix flour with 1/2 cup water until no lumps remain. Stir into the saute pan. Bring to a gentle boil. Stir in the green chilies (if using), turkey or chicken, corn and carrots. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
Add the diced potatoes. (If desired you can also add 1-2 cups of other vegetables at this point.)
Cook for about 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Take saute pan off the heat and gradually stir in the cheese, a handful at a time, stirring until melted. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed.
Stir in reserved bacon, or sprinkle on top of individual bowls of chowder as garnish.