All-Purpose Turkey Broth

Name: All-Purpose Turkey Broth
Yield: makes 6 quarts of broth
Ingredients: 8 quarts cold water; 3 pounds turkey wings (or turkey legs or chicken backs and wings); 4 large carrots, peeled, trimmed, cut in 1-inch lengths (about 5 cups); 4 big celery stalks with leaves washed, trimmed, and cut in 1-inch lengths (about 4 cups); 1 large onion (or several smaller ones) peeled and cut in big chunks (3 cups or more); 1 medium leek, rinsed thoroughly, trimmed, cut in 1-inch lengths (about 2 cups); 2 fat garlic cloves, peeled; 3 fresh plum tomatoes (about 3/4 pound), rinsed but left whole; A handful of fresh Italian parsley (6 to 8 long stems with lots of leaves, left whole); 1 or 2 pieces (about 2 ounces) rind of Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano, if available, scraped and rinsed (page 66); 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns; 1 scant tablespoon kosher salt; A 12-quart stockpot with a cover for cooking; A sturdy wire sieve for straining, or a colander; An 8-quart pot or a couple of smaller pots to collect the strained finished broth

December 14, 2011

Capon soup in Italy is the soup of the holidays. Rich and full of flavor, it is a soup base for tortellini, straciatella, and passatelli. Here it is difficult to get capon as readily as it is in Italy, but if you can find one, by all means make a big pot of capon soup following the recipe below. It was my mother who started using turkey, especially the wings, in her basic poultry and vegetable broth. She and Giovanni enjoy the meaty pieces—a couple of wings is plenty for them for dinner. Everyone loves the broth, which is sweet, flavorful, and not too strong. And Lorenzo is always ready to have a bowl of broth with noodles after school—proof of its goodness. Not least important to Grandma is that turkey wings are readily available, inexpensive, and, at our big neighborhood market, often on sale. So turkey wings and turkey broth have become staple items in our freezer. I use the broth as I would chicken or vegetable stock, in sauces, roasts, risotti, and lots of skillet dishes. I’ve found it extremely versatile and tasty—but not so much so that it overwhelms other flavors. Here then is our All-Purpose Turkey Broth—my mother’s original with my adjustments. You can use it in many recipes throughout this book, especially in the long-cooking pasta sauces and main course roasts and braises, as well as for all kinds of satisfying soups. Adjust the broth to suit you: either clear and light or with more body, with the vegetables mashed in. This is a large recipe, giving you plenty to freeze and have on hand whenever you need it.

Recipe notes