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This modern version of mock turtle soup is a great recipe for the times you have leftover roast or brisket.  Traditional mock turtle soup is made with the meat from a calf’s head and served with forcemeat balls, which I included with this recipe.

Adapted from Mrs. Wilson’s Cook Book (1920)

Inspired by The Uninvited Guests

Prep Time: 45 minutes     Cook Time:  30 minutes        Servings:  8

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fat (butter, shortening, oil, or bacon grease)
• 1/2 cup flour
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 2 cups finely chopped or shredded cooked roast or brisket
• 2 carrots, cut into rounds, or 2 cups frozen sliced carrots
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 branch fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
• 1/2 cup fresh celery leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon sweet marjoram
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme
• 2 teaspoons of salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• fresh herbs to garnish

Instructions

1. Add fat to the soup pot over low heat.  If using a solid fat (butter or shortening) allow it to melt.  Slowly stir in flour with a wooden spoon or whisk.  Continue stirring  as the mixture thickens and browns to a deep mahogany.  Slowly start adding the broth, stirring continuously.
2. Add remaining ingredients, except lemon and garnish.  Bring to boil then allow soup to simmer for 30 minutes.  (If adding forcemeat balls to soup, add after soup has simmered for 20 minutes.   Cover the pot then allow soup to simmer for 10 minutes.)  Add more water if soup is too thick.
3. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.  Add lemon juice and garnish with fresh herbs.

Forcemeat Balls

So, what exactly is a forcemeat ball?  Well, the “force” comes from the French “farce” which refers to packing or stuffing.  Basically, a forcemeat ball is finely ground meat (any kind) that is mixed with other ingredients and formed into a tightly packed ball.

The instructions for forcemeat balls are found at VintageRecipes.com from The Century Cook Book (1901).

Chop any cooked meat very fine, season highly with salt, pepper, thyme, onion juice, lemon juice, and herbs if desired; add enough yolk of egg to moisten and bind the meat. Mold into balls one half inch in diameter, roll the balls in flour, and poach them in boiling water, or they may be fried in butter.

I used about 2 cups of the same meat (brisket ) that I used in the Mock Mock Turtle Soup, which I ground in my food processor.  I added the seasonings mentioned in the forcemeat ball instructions, and substituted onion flakes for the onion juice.  I needed 5 egg yolks to get the meat to hold together.   Then, I rolled them in flour as instructed.  I dropped them into the soup the final 10 minutes of simmering and covered the pot.

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