Commander's turtle soup

1 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1¼ cup Unsalted butter
¾ cup All-purpose flour
1 pounds Turtle meat - cut into 1/2\" cubes
1 cup Minced celery (4 stalks)
1¼ cup Minced onions - (2 medium)
1½ teaspoon Minced garlic
3 eaches Bay leaves
1 teaspoon Oregano
½ teaspoon Thyme
½ teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
1½ cup Tomato puree
1 quart Beef stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, as needed
½ cup Lemon juice
5 eaches Eggs - hard cooked, chopped fine
1 tablespoon Parsley - minced
6 teaspoons Dry sherry

Directions

Melt 1 cup (2 sticks) butter in a heavy saucepan. Add flour and cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat until the roux is a light brown. Set aside. In a 5-quart saucepan, melt remaining butter and add turtle meat. Cook over high heat until meat is brown. Add celery, onions, garlic and seasonings, and cook until vegetables are transparent. Add tomato puree, lower heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add stock and simmer for 30 minutes. Add roux and cook over low heat, stirring, until soup is smooth and thickened. Correct seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Add lemon juice, eggs, and parsley. Remove from heat and serve. At table add 1 teaspoon sherry to each soup plate.

NOTE: If turtle bones are available, add them to the beef bones in making stock.

Ellen and Dick Brennan say, in their book The Commanders Palace New Orleans Cookbook, "Commanders is famous for its turtle soup, which is considered a great delicacy. Years ago we used to have soft-shelled turtle stew, but that animal is now an endangered species. We now use loggerhead and snapper turtles from our own bayou waters, which are more abundant. This soup is dark, thick, rich--a stew-type dish, filling enough to make a whole meal itself." Recipe courtesy of Fred Towner. Calories per serving: Number of Servings: 0 Fat grams per serving: Approx. Cook Time: Cholesterol per serving: Marks:

Submitted By MICHELLE BASS On 10-02-94

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