Commander's Palace Turtle Soup Au Sherry

Directions

1. Heat 8 ounces (2 sticks) butter in a heavy saucepan. Add in the flour and cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat till the roux is light-brown. Set aside.
2. In a 5-qt saucepan, heat the remaining butter and add in turtle meat. Cook over high heat till the meat is brown. Add in celery, onions, garlic and seasonings, and cook till the vegetables are transparent. Add in tomato puree, lower heat and simmer for 10 min. Add in the stock and simmer for 30 min. Add in the roux and cook over low heat, stirring, till the soup is smooth and thickened. Correct seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Add in lemon juice, Large eggs and parsley.
3. Remove from heat and serve. At the table, add in 1 tsp. sherry to each soup plate.
4. This recipe yields 6 servings.
5. Comments: Turtle soup is a great delicacy in Louisiana. The flavor of the turtle meat is both delicate and intense; there are supposedly seven distinct flavors of meat within the turtle. Commander's Palace Restaurant, in New Orleans' Garden District, is famous for its turtle soup - it's a dark, rich, thick, stew-type dish, filling sufficient to be a meal in itself. More often, though, it's the first bookend of a great meal which's finished by a fantastic dessert.