Wintertime Butternut, Turkey, and Lentil Soup
I found this in our local paper and it is just FANTASTIC! This soup recipe is from Chef Michael R. Vlasich.
I found this in our local paper and it is just FANTASTIC! This soup recipe is from Chef Michael R. Vlasich.
- Carbohydrate 105.42025 g
- Cholesterol 308.556 mg
- Fat 13.77742 g
- Fiber 23.2153002300262 g
- Protein 81.18667 g
- Saturated Fat 4.115444 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (1680g)
- Sodium 4703.996 mg
- Sugar 82.2049497699738 g
- Trans Fat 2.279128 g
- Calories 861 calories
Step-by-step
- Mix ground turkey, breadcrumbs, egg and lemon pepper, and then make into meatballs the size of nickels. Drop into a pot of boiling water for 5 minutes, drain and cool.
- In a clean pot, sweat onions, celery, butternut squash, garlic and lentils until vegetables are translucent. Add the stock and simmer 45 minutes until the lentils are soft.
- Add the meatballs and parsley, bring back to a boil, adjust seasoning and serve.
Why are the meat-balls falling apart in the boiling water? Maintaining a rolling boil is essential before dropping in the nickel-sized turkey proteins, as rapid heat immediately coagulates the exterior albumin and sets the shape. For this recipe, a two-quart saucepan handles the initial poaching stage, while a heavy-bottomed four-quart Dutch oven provides the steady, even thermal distribution needed to sweat the onions, celery, butternut squash, garlic, and lentils without scorching the bottom. Using a wide pot base maximizes surface contact for sweating aromatics until translucent. Fresh vegetables release natural moisture that aids this softening process, whereas preserved or dehydrated alternatives require additional hydration time and yield different structural integrity in the final broth. Red and yellow lentils break down differently depending on age; older dried pulses demand extended simmering beyond the standard forty-five-minute mark to achieve softness. A fine-mesh skimmer assists in retrieving the pre-cooked meatballs efficiently from their water bath.
