Bookbinder's Philadelphia Snapper Soup

Name: Bookbinder's Philadelphia Snapper Soup
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 4 h
Total time: 5 h
Yield: 8-10 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1 lb turtle meat or 1 lb stewing beef, lean; 1/4 cup butter; 1/3 cup celery, diced; 1/3 cup onion, diced; 1/3 cup carrot, diced; 1/3 cup flour; 1 teaspoon paprika; 1 quart beef stock; 1/2 cup tomato puree; 1 garlic clove, crushed; 1/2 teaspoon allspice; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 3 tablespoons cornstarch; 1/2 cup water; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce; 1 teaspoon parsley, chopped; 1/3 cup cream sherry; 1/4 teaspoon whole mixed pickling spice

Submitted by CHRISSYG

"Pilfered this recipe from recipe gold mine. Can't wait to try it (well, the politically correct version at least. I doubt I could get my hands on some turtle meat anyway!)Here's their description "This is a traditional dish served at the famous Bookbinder's Restaurant in Philadelphia. It should be made with turtle meat, but you can substitute lean stewing beef. It will taste the same." P.S. I've had this at this restaurant many times in the restaurant's previous life (closed and re-opened again recently) and this is one of my two fav's from this restaurant. The recipe didn't say how many it served, so I guessed!"

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Ready In:: 5hrs
Ingredients:: 19
Serves:: 8-10

ingredients

1 lb turtle meat or 1 lb stewing beef, lean
¹⁄₄ cup butter
¹⁄₃ cup celery, diced
¹⁄₃ cup onion, diced
¹⁄₃ cup carrot, diced
¹⁄₃ cup flour
1 teaspoon paprika
1 quart beef stock
¹⁄₂ cup tomato puree
1 garlic clove, crushed
¹⁄₂ teaspoon allspice
¹⁄₂ teaspoon salt
¹⁄₄ teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons cornstarch
¹⁄₂ cup water
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon parsley, chopped
¹⁄₃ cup cream sherry
¹⁄₄ teaspoon whole mixed pickling spice

directions

Place turtle or beef in stock pot with 1 1/2 quarts water. Bring to a boil. Skim during cooking. Simmer for 2 hours or until meat is tender.
Strain meat from stock. Dice meat into 1/4 inch pieces. Set both aside.
Cook vegetables in butter until onions are translucent. Add beef stock.
In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup water into paprika and flour until smooth. Add tomato purée and spices.
Stir into beef stock until well blended. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
Strain soup.
Place vegetables into food processor or blender and purée.
Mix cornstarch with remaining water and blend until smooth. Add to soup and cook 15 minutes, stirring, until stock is thickened.
Add meat and vegetable purée.
Remove from direct heat. Add sherry right before serving.

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Reviews

It's good soup. Though originally from Philly I never ate at Bookbinders. I do enjoy snapper/turtle soup at The Lobster House in Cape May. I find the foods cooked there are authentic to old Philly styles. I REALLY like their Turtle soup. So, I've read this recipe and every one I can find from the northeast. (The Cajun soup is different.) I also found a couple in books I have that were printed in the early sixties. And I have the Bookbinder's Cookbook Printed in 1961. I assure you that this recipe has little resemblance to what is printed in that book. I made this recipe yesterday, (with Beef), and it's good soup, but not up to the standard of the Lobster House soup. I suspect it isn't up to what Bookbinder's sold.

ozzieii
Luckily I had someone taste this who fondly remembers the original! Recipe is great, just a couple notes: only 2 t of cornstarch needed and the batch serves 4 very small bowls (great as a first course). Also, the restaurant would serve with extra cream Sherry on the side and it really helps to brighten up the soup. We used snapper turtle, by the way and it is well worth it. I recommend boiling the meat with some vinegar to tenderize it and if you like being efficient you can complete the soup base right after you start the turtle boiling ;)

Jenrenstewart