Mock Turtle Soup

Published on: April 1, 2004

In the tradition of the English, here's a version of Mock Turtle Soup, which is intended to imitate the taste of turtle soup. Being that sea turtles are an endangered species and when they were not endangered the meat was extremely expensive, recipes like this one have been enjoyed by those missing the real thing. The traditional version of Mock Turtle Soup uses a calf's head along with seasonings and sherry or some other wine. There are many different ways to make Mock Turtle Soup with everything from oxtails to gingersnaps. For those who don't relish the thought of boiling a calf head, here's a simpler version.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of olive oil

2 pounds chopped beef (it can be an inexpensive cut such as sirloin)

1 garlic clove, mashed

1 cup of chopped onion

1/4 teaspoon of thyme

1 bay leaf

1/4 teaspoon of allspice

1 tablespoon of flour

1 cup of chopped peeled tomatoes

10 cups of meat stock

Salt and pepper to taste

2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped fine

Lemon slices

Sherry

1/2 cup of chopped fresh parsley

Cooking Instructions:

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium. Brown onions and then add the meat and brown slightly. Add spices and herbs. Stir in flour until it bubbles. Add the 10 cups of meat stock and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes. Cover pot and let it simmer for one to two hours. Serve hot with egg crumbles mixed in, a teaspoon of sherry, and lemon slices on the side. Sprinkle fresh parsley over top. Serves 10.

Column Archives

For archived copies of 200 Food and Health News stories, click the links below: