Last weekend, we had a family dinner and the menu was your usually Thanksgiving menu, as in turkey, mashed potatoes (store bought, I can’t do better than Bob), dressing, sweet potatoes, homemade bread, Brussels sprouts, salad, pumpkin pie apple pie, both served with whipped cream. I had some help, I did not make everything. I sent home leftovers and there were still a few for us for a couple meals following. Pretty much the only thing left was about 2 cups of turkey. What to do? A couple weeks ago, I had a ‘hankering’ for a creamy chicken noodle stew. That delicious dish came to mind and with no recipe (same as a couple of weeks ago), I decided to make the same with the left over turkey. I made this in the mid afternoon, let it cool, refrigerated it and then warmed it up on the stove that evening. One more thing. I still had some rosemary in a pot on the patio. Normally, I would have used fresh parsley, however, not having any on hand and I wanted some more green in the stew. Wow, what a good decision. It gave the stew a ‘French Provençal flavor.’ Next time when I make it, I will add 1/2 cup of a dry French white after the vegetables have saute’ d. Just a thought. I served this with applesauce from the Thanksgiving dinner. you could serve with your remaining left- over side dishes. Here you go…
Turkey Noodle Stew
Ingredients
-4 cups chicken or turkey stock (I like to use Better Than Bouillon, a jarred stock/paste sold in the soup section of the grocery store. 1 teaspoon is added to a cup of water. I heat the water pour into a Pyrex glass measuring up and then stir in the paste having it ready to add to the recipe)
-5 Tablespoons unsalted butter
-1/2 yellow onion (or white)
-4 carrots chopped into cubes
-2 stalks celery
-2 cloves fresh garlic or 2 teaspoons ‘jarlick’ (jarred garlic)
-1 1/2-2 cups chopped turkey
-1/4 -1/3 cup unbleached flour
-1/2-1 cup 2% milk
-1 1/2 cup Amish/egg noodles (I like the wide one, use your preference) uncooked
-2-3 Tablespoons chopped fresh Rosemary (parsley could be substituted
-salt & pepper to taste
I like the fresh Rosemary flavor…The Amish noodles are so good…When I was grocery shopping, I saw some organic carrots that were multi colored so you see some white, yellow and orange carrots. The white and yellow tasted more like turnips or parsnips. I was out of celery, so that’s what prompted the Rosemary to add some green color.
Method
1. Have all ingredients prepared and ready to go, vegetables chopped, stock measured, turkey chopped, noodles measured, etc.
2. Heat water in a stock pot, slightly salt and prepare the noodles. Drain and set aside in a colander. I have this going while I am starting the recipe. This is easy to do if all ingredients are ready to go.
The mixture thickens up fairly quickly, so keep stirring so it doesn’t get clumpy.
3. In a Dutch oven, I use a size 26, melt 1 1/2 Tablespoon of the 5 tablespoons unsalted butter and sauté the onion. When onion is about 4 minutes.
4. Add the carrots & celery. When they are soft, about 4 minutes, add the Rosemary. Saute’ about 1 minute. Add garlic, saute’ another minute.
5. Here is where the ‘magic is made’ when you make a roux or start the thickening of the stew. Add the remaining unsalted butter, let it melt into the vegetables. Start adding the flour, a little at a time, stirring into the vegetables, Rosemary with either a whisk (a silicon one if you are using a LeCreuset, so as not to scratch the surface) or your preferred kitchen utensils for this purpose.
6. Your mixture will begin to thicken, add a little stock, incorporate it into the vegetables to thin it, then add a little more flour, whisk/ stir, sort of scrapping the bowl with the silicon whisk so as not to have mixture stick or burn. You will adjust the heat accordingly so as not to over heat. Keep doing this until you have a nice thick ‘stew like’ consistency.
7. Now, turn heat down very low, slowly pour in the milk, a little at a time, until the stew is the consistency you are happy with. Add the turkey, stir and then add the cooked noodles. (Do not let mixture boil as milk may curdle, keep heat very low.
8. Decide if you need more milk, add salt and pepper to taste and serve, or let cool on stove, then refrigerate and reheat on the stove. You could warm portions in the microwave, i just like reheating on the stove. Enjoy!
