Turtle Soup

Ingredients

• One pound of turtle
• for every three quarts of soup
• slices of ham
• a knuckle of veal
• a large bunch of fine herbs
• a handful of parsley
• six cloves
• ½ lb. of butter
• a glassful of good Madeira
• a squeeze of lemon
• a little thin white roux

Method

1. 1

   Soak the dried turtle in cold water for three days, changing the water daily.

2. 2

   Cook the turtle in stock for twelve hours.

3. 3

   Prepare stock with ham, veal, and vegetables.

4. 4

   Strain the stock, sauté the vegetables in butter, add sugar, and rub through a tamis.

5. 5

   Combine with the soup, add Madeira, lemon, and roux.

6. 6

   Ensure the soup is not overly thickened.

As published

This recipe was extracted from Harper's cook book encyclopædia (1902), page 425. The excerpt below is the record exactly as published.

Turtle Soup (from dried turtle imported from South America). — The pieces of dried turtle require to be soaked in cold water for three days and three nights, the water being changed every morning. And as the turtle has to be cooked for twelve hours in the stock which forms the soup, four days are required to produce turtle soup. After the turtle has undergone soaking, it swells to three times its size when dry ; it is then ready for putting into the stock. One pound of turtle is used for every three quarts of soup. The stock is made by laying slices of ham in the stock- pot, and then a knuckle of veal cut up, as in other soups ; cold water, a slow fire, and skimming. The vege- tables, put in at the usual stage, are to be green onions, bay -leaves, a large bunch of fine herbs, and a handful of parsley. Pepper, salt in very moderate quantity (as else the long period during which the turtle cooks will make the soup too salt), and six cloves. When the stock is strained take out the onions, herbs, and parsley, and put them in a stew- pan with % lb. of butter and a blade of mace ; when the butter is melted add a little sugar, simmer on the fire a short time, and then rub through a tamis ; add these to the soup after the turtle has been simmered in it for nearly the twelve hours ; add also a glassful of good Madeira and a squeeze of lemon, and a little thin white roux

Cook this with the app: pantry check, scaling, and the assistant.