In the 1700s and 1800s, turtle soup was a delicacy in the United States. It was a favored dish by US Presidents John Adams and William Howard Taft. For centuries, turtles were readily available, drawn to standing water around towns and waterways. As turtle species became threatened due to degradation of habitat and over-harvesting, turtle soup decreased in popularity. Today it is a rarity, with turtle soup most common in Louisiana. Prepared Creole-style and known as caouane, the name means “loggerhead turtle” in French.
Recipe Servings: 8
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
3 hours
Total Time
3 hours 20 minutes
Vegetarian
Vegan
Gluten Free
Dairy Free
Kosher
Halal
Ingredients
- 2½ lbs turtle meat on the bone, or 1½ lbs boneless
- 8 cups water
- 4 bay leaves
- 1 Tbsp salt, plus more to taste
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 celery stalks, minced
- 1 green bell pepper, minced
- 1½ cups onion, minced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 can (18 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 Tbsp sweet paprika
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper, plus more to taste
- ½ cup dry sherry
- ⅓ cup fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Directions
- Combine the turtle meat and water in a large pot.
- Add the bay leaves and 1 tablespoon of salt.
- Bring to a boil. Skim off any scum that rises.
- Lower heat to a simmer and cook for 2–3 hours, until the turtle meat is nearly falling from the bone.
- Remove the pot from heat and remove meat. De-bone if using bone-in turtle. Chop meat to desired coarseness.
- Strain the turtle broth into another pot over low heat.
- In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat and stir in flour.
- Cook, stirring constantly for 10–15 minutes, until mixture turns golden-brown.
- Add the green pepper, celery, and onion, and cook 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Add the chopped turtle meat and stir to combine.
- Add the turtle stock to the pot a cup at a time, mixing to combine, until the soup has the consistency of gravy.
- Add the tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, cayenne pepper, and paprika.
- Add additional broth to thin the soup as needed for a consistency thicker than water, but thinner than gravy.
- Simmer gently for 15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft.
- Add the sherry, parsley, lemon zest, and hard-boiled eggs, and stir to combine.
- Simmer for a minute or two.
- Season to taste with salt, black pepper, and lemon juice.
- Serve hot, alone or over a bed of rice.
Recipe introduction and directions © Copyright 2016-2024 World Trade Press. All rights reserved.