Turkey Dumpling Stew

Well, the big day is over. I am sure we will all eat enough leftover turkey over the next few days to insure we won't touch it again until next Thanksgiving. We had a very busy day, taking family pictures and preparing for our annual holiday boutique, but it was great and we all had a good time.

My crazy brother

I think it is funny how Thanksgiving is absolutely a traditional holiday. Nobody wants to try anything new or different (around here, anyway) and nobody really likes variations on the traditional. Example: I made cornbread stuffing this year, from my grandmothers absolutely delicious recipe , and while it was perfectly wonderful, flavorful, etc, everybody said they prefer the usual. I even made it the same way that I usually do, with sausage, apples, and dried cranberries. Oh well, c'est la vie, right?
There will be plenty of other occasions where I can experiment to my heart's desire. Whether they are traditional holidays or simply gatherings between friends. I am going to have to start incorporating my sister's boyfriend into these gatherings. That boy hasn't tried anything!

I wanted to post an article about this turkey stew. I absolutely love this stew, because it is innovative, delicious, and uses my leftover turkey parts perfectly. Not only does it use leftover turkey, but it also uses other items you may have laying around: green beans, carrots, celery, onions, mixed herbs, buttermilk, and pumpkin puree. If you don't have any of these items, simply take them out and swap them if you wish.
Also, if you already threw out your turkey carcass, you can build a very flavorful base with the turkey stock recipe and the addition of chicken bouillon.

Turkey Dumpling Stew
1 leftover roasted turkey carcass, plus 3 to 4 cups shredded turkey meat
1 onion, quartered
2 stalks celery, quartered crosswise (save the leaves for the dumplings)
1 lb carrots, (3 quartered crosswise; thinly sliced)

1 bay leaf
3 sprigs parsley
3 sprigs thyme

Dumpling Dough (recipe below)

4 Tbsp. butter
1 shallot bulb, minced
1/4 cup flour
1/2 to 1 cup of leftover pumpkin puree
salt and freshly ground pepper
juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 lb green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
shredded cheddar cheese for serving

Make the stock: Pull the turkey carcass apart into smaller pieces, set the meat aside. Put the bones in a large, deep pot and add cold water to cover, 4 to 5 quarts. Add the onion, celery, the 3 quartered carrots and the bay leaf. Tie the parsley and thyme together with twine and add to the pot, then cover and bring to s a simmer over medium heat. Uncover, reduce the heat to medium low and cook 3 to 4 hours. Remove the bones and vegetables with a skimmer and discard, then strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer. Return the stock to the pot and simmer over medium-high heat until reduced by half, 30-40 minutes (you will have about 8 cups of stock).
About 45 minutes before serving, prepare the dumplings. Keep covered with plastic wrap while you make the stew.

Dumplings
3 cups flour
3/4 cup minced mixed fresh herbs and celery leaves
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
freshly ground pepper
6 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cups cold buttermilk

Whisk the flour, herb mixture, baking powder, baking soda, salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender until sandy. Stir in buttermilk.
Turn out onto a floured piece of parchment paper. Pat into a 3/4-inch rectangle. Cut the dough into rough 2-inch squares with a large knife. Cover with plastic wrap.
Make the stew: Melt the butter in a large, wide pot over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Gradually add the stock, stirring, and bring to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper and add the pumpkin. Add the sliced carrots, cover and cook 5 minutes.
Stir in the turkey meat, lemon juice and green beans. Add the dumplings in a single layer (leave as squares or pat into rounds). Cover and simmer until the dumplings are cooked through, about 20 minutes. Ladle into bowls; top with grated cheese.