After you have cut the last juicy scrumptious slice of turkey off of the bones, do not throw away the carcass! There is flavor and a multitude of uses locked in those bones.

Make a delicious Thai Turkey Chowder. To make chowder you must first make a stock.  A stock is a highly flavored mixture of bones (except in the case of vegetable stock), aromatic vegetables called mirepoix and herbs and spices. There is no salt in stock. (The natural evaporation of water would concentrate the salt and make the stock too salty) The slow simmering of the bones makes a stock highly concentrated in rich collagen and gelatin from the connective tissue. Once you have a luxurious stock, you have what I like to call KITCHEN GOLD. There are numerous recipes that use stock and there is nothing quite like homemade.  

Long after the Thanksgiving feast-the bounty of the meal will still be enjoyed with this turkey chowder.

1 turkey carcass

3 medium carrots, rough chopped

1 Spanish onion, rough chopped

3 garlic cloves, crushed

3 celery ribs, rough chopped

1 star anise (optional)

1 lemon grass shoot, white part only, chopped

1 2-inch piece of fresh ginger, cut into coins 

1. Place all of the above ingredients in a large soup pot and add water only to the level of the bones and simmer over medium-low heat for 3 hours. Turn off the heat and allow the stock to steep.
2. Strain the bones and vegetables from the stock and discard.

From stock into chowder

6 cups turkey stock

1 14-ounce can of coconut milk

1 ½ cups basmati rice

¼ cup chopped scallions

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

2 cloves of garlic, grated

2 carrots, diced

2 shoots lemon grass, white part only chopped

¼ cup chopped cilantro

2 cups chopped bok choy cabbage

¼ cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons (or more!) Asian hot sauce

¼ cup lime juice

3 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

Suggested garnishes: bean sprouts, lime wedges, additional hot sauce, chopped scallions, cilantro leaves and shaved coconut, shredded turkey, chopped cashews, cooked rice noodles 

1. Add all of the ingredients to a large soup pot and simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper

Serve with bowls of bean sprouts, lime wedges, additional hot sauce, chopped scallions, cilantro leaves and shaved coconut, shredded turkey, chopped cashews, cooked rice noodles. Let your guests garnish their own soup.

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