Lemon Turkey Soup with Fresh Spinach and Pasta

Recipe from Bon Appétit

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

After stuffing ourselves with Thanksgiving turkey, we do what everyone else does…eat leftovers.  You can make this yummy soup with chicken broth and chicken.  This year, however, I used the Thanksgiving turkey carcass to make a fabulous stock and then made this delicious soup.  Go to this link to see how to make the brown turkey stock and then use some of it to make this soup.  It’s easier than you might think.

http://fromaliceskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/12/brown-turkey-stock.html

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 celery stalks, chopped

2 carrots, diced

1 large red bell pepper, chopped

8 cups low-salt chicken broth or turkey stock

2 cups dried pasta (bowtie, orzo, egg noodles)

2 cups diced cooked turkey or chicken

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

6 cups or so of fresh spinach leaves

Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Grated Parmesan cheese

1 fresh lemon, sliced thinly for garnish**

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and stir 1 minute. Add celery, carrots and red bell pepper and sauté until vegetables are tender, about 8 minutes. Add 8 cups broth and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer to blend flavors, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cook pasta as directed on the package.  Drain and set aside.  Add turkey, lemon juice and lemon peel into soup. Add spinach and pasta. Simmer until spinach wilt but is still bright green, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Thin the soup with additional broth, if desired. Season the soup with salt and pepper.

Ladle soup into bowls. Serve, passing cheese separately.

**Note:  The soup is especially nice when you place a slice or two of lemon on the bottom of each bowl before adding the soup.