TURKEY BONE GUMBO

What to do with your turkey carcass? Every year around this time, my friends call me for this recipe. If you don’t already have this, make a copy to put in your recipe files.

A friend of mine goes around his neighborhood on the day after Thanksgiving to gather any unwanted turkey carcasses to make one fine gumbo. The carcasses are simmered in water and other seasonings for a few hours to render a rich broth, which is the basis for the gumbo. Nothing goes better (well, you could serve baked sweet potatoes like some people do in south Louisiana) with gumbo than potato salad and hot crusty French bread.

Put the call out to your friends and neighbors to save you their turkey carcasses and settle in for the better part of the afternoon to make this delicious gumbo.

TURKEY BONE GUMBO

Makes 8 to 10 servings

• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped bell peppers
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 1/2 pound smoked sausage, chopped (optional)
• 1/2 gallon turkey broth (recipe follows)
• 1 1/2 pounds turkey meat, chopped, plus any reserved meat from the carcass in the broth
• Reserved onions and celery from broth
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped green onions

In a large cast-iron pot or enameled cast-iron Dutch oven, combine the oil and flour. Stirring constantly and slowly for 20 to 25 minutes, make a dark brown roux, the color of chocolate. Add the onions, bell peppers, celery, salt and cayenne. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.

Add the sausage and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.

Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 45 minutes.

Add the turkey meat, the reserved onions and celery and cook for 15 minutes. Add the parsley and green onions. Serve in soup bowls with steamed rice.

Turkey broth

Makes about 1/2 gallon

• 1 turkey carcass
• 3 ribs celery, cut into 4-inch pieces
• 2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
• 1 gallon of water, or enough water to cover the carcass
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
• 4 bay leaves

Place the carcass in a large stockpot. Add the celery, onions, water, salt, peppercorns and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours. Remove from heat.

Skim any oil that has risen to the surface. Strain through a large fine-mesh sieve. Reserve any meat that has fallen off the bones and pick off any meat that may still remain on the carcass. Reserve the onions and celery.

CORN CREOLE

Makes 6 to 8 servings

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil or bacon drippings
• 1 cup chopped yellow onions
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell peppers
• 2 cups cream-style corn
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• Salt and cayenne to taste
• Fine dried breadcrumbs
• Butter

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the oil or bacon drippings in a large, heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onions and bell peppers, and cook, stirring, for about four minutes, or until soft and lightly golden. Add the corn, the egg and the milk. Cook, stirring occasionally, for five minutes. Add the cornmeal and stir until the mixture thickens. Season with salt and cayenne and pour into a lightly oiled baking dish. Sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs and dot with butter. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until bubbly and hot.