Culture

Creole Louisiana Snapping Turtle Soup

Rick Tramonto|

Creole Louisiana Snapping Turtle Soup
2 (7 ratings)
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This soup recipe is the specialty at Restaurant R'evolution, located in New Orleans. Although it's definitely a weekend project for home cooks, it's well worth the trouble. Or, you could just fly down to my restaurant and order it off the menu.
Servings
4
Ingredients
  • 2 gallons beef stock
  • 3 pound louisiana snapping turtle ground meat
  • 1 quart chopped onion
  • 2 cup peeled and chopped carrot
  • 2 cup chopped celery
  • 2 heads garlic, halved
  • 1/2 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
  • 1 fresh bay leaf
  • 1 bunch parsley stems
  • 1/2 bunch fresh thyme
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup diced onions
  • 1/2 cup diced celery
  • 1/4 cup diced bell peppers
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoon canned tomato purée
  • 2 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 quarts turtle stock
  • 1 1/4 pound cooked turtle meat from the stock
  • zest of 1/4 lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/3 teaspoon ground thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/5 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground mace
  • pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 2 tablespoon chow chow
  • 1/2 bay leaf
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon salt
  • 1 1/2 tablespoon black pepper
  • 1 1/4 tablespoon granulated garlic
  • 3/4 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
  • 3/8 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup sliced scallions
  • 2 tablespoon chopped parsley
  • 6 quail eggs
  • 3 1/2 egg yolks from hard-boiled eggs
  • 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
  • pinch of cayenne
  • 1/8 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 3/4 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
  • 3/4 teaspoon hot sauce, preferably crystal
  • 1/8 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup chow chow
  • 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1/8 teaspoon turmeric
  • salt, to taste
  • 3 cup turtle soup base
  • 12 deviled quail egg halves
  • 1/4 cup micro parsley
  • 8 teaspoon chow chow paint
Directions
  1. In a heavy-bottomed stockpot, combine the stock with the turtle meat and bring to a low simmer. Tie the vegetables, herbs, and spices in a cheesecloth sachet and add to the pot. (As the pot simmers, scum will rise to the surface. These are protein particles from the turtle meat and they must be skimmed off regularly throughout the process. Otherwise, they will re-incorporate into the stock and produce a speckled final appearance.)
  2. Cook the turtle meat until tender, about 1 ½ hours, then remove the sachet and discard. Strain the stock through a fine-meshed strainer and reserve the meat.
  3. In a large Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly until a dark brown roux is achieved.
  4. Add the onions, celery, bell peppers, and garlic and sauté until wilted, about 3-5 minutes. Then, add the tomato purée and paste, blending well into the vegetable mixture.
  5. Add the turtle stock and whisk to blend well. Bring to a rolling boil then reduce to a simmer. Then, add the turtle meat and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  6. Add the lemon zest, cloves, thyme, allspice, nutmeg, mace, red pepper flakes, Chow Chow, and bay leaf, and then simmer for 30 more minutes. Continue to add stock as needed to retain a soup-like consistency.
  7. Season with the salt, pepper, and granulated garlic, then add the Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, scallions, and parsley.
  8. Place the quail eggs in a large saucepot of cold water and bring to boil for 4 minutes. Let cool in the water and peel and discard the shells.
  9. Cut the eggs in ½ carefully and remove the yolks. Reserve the egg whites and set aside. Combine the boiled egg yolks and quail yolks with the remaining ingredients. Mix together until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe into the boiled quail egg whites.
  10. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, blend together the Chow Chow, oil, and turmeric and season with salt, to taste. Pass through a fine-meshed sieve. Chill until ready to use.
  11. Using a pastry brush, paint a stripe across the rim of a soup plate with the Chow Chow paint. Place the deviled quail eggs in the well of the plate, in line with the painted rims. Scatter the micro parsley around the well. Pour 6 ounces of the turtle soup base into the well. Repeat for 3 more bowls.
 
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