How to make turkey soup

A steaming bowl of nourishing soup is the perfect antidote to a hectic holiday season punctuated by social evenings and heavy meals.

At this time of year, it's also a welcome and efficient way to use any leftover turkey that may be lurking in your refrigerator. If you manage to eat all the turkey (kudos to you), chicken works just as well. And if you don't have a chicken to roast, a store-bought roasted chicken will do in a pinch.

This is a simple and restorative soup. Its ease of preparation belies its inherent comfort and depth of flavor. The broth is rich and hearty, yet the ingredients are clean and straightforward. Silky, umami-rich shiitake mushrooms impart an earthy, smoky flavor to a vegetable-studded broth swirling with nutty farro.

Farro is a nutrient-dense ancient grain. It's available in various forms, which can affect flavor and cooking time.

Whole-grain farro imparts a notable earthy flavor and is the most nutritious because it hasn't been stripped of its bran. The trade-off is an exceedingly long cook time, best preceded by an overnight soak.

Semi-pearled farro is partially stripped of its bran, and thus retains some of its nutrients, fiber and flavor, while it requires about 30 minutes to cook.

Pearled farro is the least nutritious, since all the bran is removed, which diminishes its flavor and can lead to mushiness when the grain is cooked.

For this soup, a semi-pearled farro is ideal. It provides flavor and heft with a satisfying chewiness to each slurpy bite.

Turkey Soup With Shiitakes and Farro

Yield: Serves 4 to 6

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  
• 2 medium carrots, sliced
  
• 1 medium celery stalk, sliced
  
• 8 ounces small shiitake mushrooms, ends trimmed
  
• 1/2 cup semi-pearled farro, rinsed
  
• 6 cups turkey or chicken stock
  
• 2 to 3 fresh thyme sprigs or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  
• 1 bay leaf
  
• 2 cups shredded cooked turkey (or chicken) breast
  
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
  
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the oil in a soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until slightly soft, 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Toss in the carrots, celery and mushrooms. Saute until the carrots brighten in color and the mushrooms begin to release their juices, 3 to 4 minutes more.

3. Add the farro; stir to coat and lightly toast the grains, about 30 seconds. Add the stock, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low. Partially cover the pot and simmer the soup until the farro is tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

4. Add the turkey or chicken. If the soup is too thick, add additional stock to your desired consistency. Simmer the soup, partially covered over medium-low heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste the broth and season with the salt and black pepper, adjusting to your taste.

5. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve garnished with parsley.

Lynda Balslev is an award-winning writer, cookbook author and recipe developer, and authors the blog TasteFood, More recipes can be found at chicago.suntimes.com/taste.