Scenes from the late afternoon on the way out of the ranch:
A Texas Tortoise, probably at least thirteen years old judging by the annual rings on the shell
and, of course, a South Texas Coyote Trainer Bird.
Awesome pictures Kent. Thank you for sharing them.
I have been in the office all week due to weather and doctors appointments for me and my daughter.
Looking forward to getting back out there tomorrow.
Of course everyone already knows how to cook a Mexican Chicken,
but here is an
Awesome Tortoise Soup Recipe!
Ingredients for Awesome Tortoise Soup
10 ounces (2-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 pound tortoise meat, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup minced celery (4 stalks)
2 medium onions, minced (2 medium)
1-1/2 teaspoons garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
1 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 cups tomato purée
1 quart beef stock
NOTE: If tortoise bones are available, add them to the beef bones when making the stock for this dish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste, as needed
1/2 cup lemon juice
5 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced parsley
6 teaspoons dry sherry
How to Prepare Your Awesome Tortoise Soup Recipe
Melt 8 ounces (2 sticks) butter in a heavy saucepan.
Add the flour and cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat until the roux is light brown. Set aside.
In a 5-quart saucepan, melt the remaining butter and add tortoise meat.
Cook over high heat until the tortoise meat is brown. Add celery, onions, garlic and seasonings, and cook until the vegetables are transparent.
Add tomato purée, lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add the stock and simmer for 30 minutes.
Add the roux and cook over low heat, stirring, until the soup is smooth and thickened.
Correct seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
Add lemon juice, eggs and parsley.
Remove from heat and serve. At the table, add 1 teaspoon sherry to each soup plate.
If you love this, also review this awesome Turtle Soup Recipe, or a how to cook Crocodile Soup recipe, or even this how to cook alligator soup recipe!
You might even want to explore the difference between turtle and tortoise, or the difference between alligator and crocodile.
ENJOY!
Ewwwwwwww! If you are going to eat meat, eat meat. Leave out all the goshawful herbs and spices. KFC likes to brag about all their herbs and spices, but, I would much rather eat plain old home cooked chicken than what they sell.
> Leave out all the goshawful herbs and spices.
It's a reptile for gawds sake.
You have to mask the gamey taste.
cool pics kent- but not very original 😉
What kind of camera do you use? Zoom lens?
> What kind of camera do you use? Zoom lens?
I took those with a Kodak EasyShare Z712 IS. I bought it for field use about five or six years ago because:
- it has a separate viewfinder for scenes in bright sun where the larger display on the back is fairly useless, and
- it has a 36mm to 432mm optical zoom lens.
Might want to consider having someone else taste it first and watch them carefully for a good 24 hours. Tortoises sometimes eat mushrooms that would kill or incapacitate a person. They may not affect the tortoise but anything that eats them can get a concentrated dose. Liver failure is a long and slow way to go.
