Turkey, Cabbage & Squash Soup with Fennel Seeds
This is another soup where I use my "trick" of adding something piquant at the end, like the cider vinegar in this recipe, to lift and brighten the flavours. The final result is a soup that's rich, bright and satisfying.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb ground turkey or a turkey/chicken blend
- 1-1/2 cups chopped onion (cut about 1/2 inch)
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 to 1 tbsp finely grated ginger
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp dried chopped sage
- 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
- 1/2 tsp dried basil
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed using a mortar and pestle (see Note)
- 1-3/4 cup sweet potato, diced large (1 medium, cut into 3/8-inch dice)
- 3 cups butternut squash, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
- 5 cups chopped green cabbage (I used half of a small cabbage)
- 6 cups vegetable stock
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
How To Make This Recipe
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Heat the olive oil in a large pot (Dutch oven or stock pot) over medium high heat. Add the ground turkey, breaking it up with a spatula and stirring frequently until it's crumbly and most of the pink is gone.
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Add the onion, garlic and ginger, and stir from time to time until the onions are translucent. This will take two or three minutes. Add the seasonings, herbs and spices; stir well and let them cook down for a minute or two.
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Add all the vegetables, then the stock and stir well. Cover and turn the heat to high. Once the soup is boiling, turn the heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes. After 30 minutes, add the vinegar (starting with one tablespoon). Stir, then taste and adjust the seasonings and vinegar as required to suit your taste.
Recipe Notes
Note: Lightly crush the fennel seeds with a mortal and pestle until you have a blend of powder and some seeds that are almost whole. If you don't have a mortar and pestle, you could use a rolling pin or the flat side of a chef's knife to crush the seeds. Or, a small grinder—just be sure to leave some texture.