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Smoked Turkey and Lentil Soup

Sunnyside Cook

Dawn Dobie
A healthy, comforting soup flavored with smoked turkey meat along with fresh herbs and citrus
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 6

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large onion chopped in 1/4-inch dice
  • 4 celery stalks chopped in 1/4-inch dice
  • 3 large carrots peeled and chopped in 1/4-inch dice
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  • 8 cups beef broth (preferably low-sodium)
  • 1 1/2 cups lentils --picked over to remove debris and rinsed
  • 6 ounces fresh button mushrooms sliced
  • 8 ounces smoked turkey breast cut in 1/4-inch dice
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon grated zest from one fresh lime
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Salt

Instructions
 

  • Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet or soup pot. Add the onions and sauté for about 7 minutes, stirring now and then.
  • Add the chopped celery and carrots to the onions and continue to sauté the vegetables for another 7 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and 1 teaspoon of dried thyme and stir for an additional minute.
  • Add the beef broth, stirring to remove any pieces stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add the lentils and raise the heat to high. Once the soup has come to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer. If any scum appears on the surface, carefully skim it off and discard.
  • Partially cover the pot and cook at a simmer for about an hour.
  • Add the sliced mushrooms to the soup and continue cooking, partiallly covered, over low heat another 30 minutes.
  • When the soup is near its finished cooking time, finely chop the parsley and thyme and transfer to small bowl. Add the lime zest and lime juice and stir to combine. Set this herb mixture aside to use later.
  • Taste the soup to ensure that the lentils are soft. If so, use a potato masher or other implement to crush some of the lentils and create a creamy base within the soup.
  • Add the diced smoked turkey and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.
  • Stir the herb mixture into the soup. Season with salt and pepper, if needed.
  • Ladle into bowls and serve.

Notes

The soup can be prepared up to 3 days in advance. Stop at the point where you have mashed the lentils. Cool, cover and refrigerate the soup. To serve, prepare the herb mixture, reheat the soup and add the smoked turkey. You can then follow directions from that point.
Adapted from  a recipe published by Julie Sahni in Bon Appétit (May 1989).