Mexican Turkey Soup

Even though the weather has been relatively warm and beautiful down here in New Orleans, I have still been in soup mode. There have been a few chilly winter days down here – even a few nights where I had to bring in my herbs – so even a couple cold days have been incentive for me to whip up some great soups.

This recipe is very similar to Mexican Tortilla Soup and I based it on an Ina Garten recipe for Mexican Chicken Soup. But instead of using chicken, I used my leftover turkey from the holidays. Don’t worry, I made this back in November so I haven’t kept my leftover turkey for that long.

The base starts out like any basic soup but then you add tomatoes in puree, fresh jalapenos, cumin and coriander for great Mexican flavors. I add some of the seeds from the jalapeno for more heat because I like mine extra spicy. But my favorite part is the toppings! Add freshly chopped cilantro, crushed tortilla chips, a dollop of sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese and generous chunks of avocado for a delicious and balanced meal in a bowl! Buen provecho!

Recipe

• 3 Cups Shredded Turkey Meat
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups chopped onions (2 onions)
• 1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
• 2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots)
• 4 large cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 1/2 quarts low-sodium chicken stock
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in puree, crushed
• 1 6 oz. can whole corn kernels
• 1 8 oz. can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 to 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander seed

• 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 Avocado, chopped into thick chunks
• Sour Cream
• Crushed tortilla chips, about 1/4 cup for each bowl

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes with their puree, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the shredded turkey, corn and black beans and season to taste. Serve the soup hot topped with sliced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and broken tortilla chips.