New Orleans Turtle Soup

Ingredients: 2 pounds boneless turtle meat 3 cups water 1 medium onion, quartered 1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped 1/2 large bellpepper, coarsely chopped 2 bay leaves McCormick cracked black pepper 1 teaspoon minced garlic 2 tablespoons butter 1 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup chopped bellpepper 1/2 cup chopped celery 2 tablespoons minced garlic 1 teaspoon dried thyme 2 tablespoon tomato paste One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes One 8 ounce can tomato sauce 5 cups reserved turtle stock 1/2 cup red wine 1/4 cup dry sherry 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon hot sauce 1/4 teaspoon McCormick cracked black pepper 2 bay leaves 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce 2 tablespoons butter 3 tablespoon flour 1/4 cup minced parsley 1/4 cup minced green onions 2 boiled eggs, peeled & chopped 4 tablespoons dry sherry Directions: 1. Combine turtle meat, water, quartered onion, celery, bellpepper, 2 bay leaves, cracked black pepper, 1 teaspoon minced garlic in a 4 quart pot. Bring to boil, lower fire to medium and simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes. 2. Drain stock through mesh strainer, reserving stock in bowl. Allow meat to cool, then separate from rest of ingredients discarding everything but the turtle meat. Coarsely chop the meat and set aside. 3. Heat butter in pot, add onions, celery, bellpepper and garlic. Saute for 10 minutes over medium fire. Add thyme, tomato paste, diced tomatoes and continue to cook until water from tomatoes evaporates. 4. Add tomato sauce, 5 cups reserved turtle stock, red wine, sherry, salt, hot sauce, cracked pepper, bay leaf and worcestershire sauce. Cover pot and simmer for 30 minutes over medium fire. 5. In a small saute pan heat butter until melted over medium low fire. Stir in flour and cook stirring constantly until flour is slightly brown about 4 minutes. Allow to cool then stir into turtle soup. Add turtle meat, cover pot and cook for additional 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 6. Mince boiled eggs and set aside. Stir parsley and green onions into turtle soup. 7. Divide turtle soup between 4 bowls and top each with minced egg and 1 tablespoon dry sherry. Yields: 4 entrees or 8 appetizer servings. Recipe compliments of Chef Patrick Mould.