Kale and Potato Soup

Ten years ago I didn’t know what kale was. And for sure had never eaten it.   Having fresh vegetables delivered weekly has opened up a whole new chapter in my  food life.   If you can you should subscribe to a CSA in your area for more reasons than just eating fresh vegetables that are good for you.  I have been on the receiving end of these great deliveries for four years and I can tell you that I have prepared foods that would have never entered my kitchen.  It has been a wonderful experience.  I love the fact that I am supporting the local farmers in our area, but I am amazed at how much I have learned about produce and how to prepare it.  I am proud to be a part of  farm to table.  Please participate if you can.  You will be rewarded in more ways than you ever imagined.   Now to the recipe.I have seen recipe after recipe in magazines and blogs about kale, potato, and some sort of sausage soup.  I love soup in any form.  Hot, cold, creamy, chunky and even canned.  So when I got this beautiful bunch of kale I surfed the net to find what I thought was the perfect recipe for kale and I was not disappointed.  It is wonderful.  Even GI Joe loved it which I am really surprised.  He is really spreading his wings and enjoying the finer things in life! 

Ina Garten was asked once how to choose  a brand of sausage and she said, ” Buy what is available, taste all of them and choose the best.”  I thought that is all good for her.  But, my budget will not allow me to experiment that way.  I and probably like you cannot buy 5 different types of sausages and choose the best one.   So what do you do?  I put my trust in the meat market guy at my supermarket.   I do regret that I didn’t do more research on the internet for the best chorizo in our area.   The sausage was OK,  but after the fact I know that I could have done a better job choosing the sausage.  Even so the soup was very good and GI Joe loved it.  Surprise!  So yes with a poor quality sausage it was good and with a better sausage it would be superb!   I’ll make this again and you should just try it.  It is good and good for you!

Tuscan Kale Soup with Chorizo  from Gourmet January 2001

• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 3-4 cloves garlic
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 lb. potatoes
• 8 cups water
• 1/2 lb. Spanish chorizo cut into 1/2 inch pieces  ( I think andouille or Italian sausage would be great)
• 3/4 lb of Kale, center ribs discarded and leaves cut crosswise into thin slices

1. Cook onion in oil in a 5-qt pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until pale golden.
2. Add chopped garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
3. Meanwhile, peel potatoes and cut crosswise.  (I used my food processor EASY!)
4. Add to onion and cook, stirring occasionally, 4 minutes.  Add water and salt to taste and simmer until potatoes are very tender about 15 minutes.
5. Cook chorizo in a large nonskillet over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes. Drain.
6. Coarsely mash potatoes in pot with a potato masher.  ( I used my immersion blender).  Stir in chorizo and simmer 5 minutes.
7. Stir in kale and simmer until just tender, 3 to 5 minutes.  Season with salt.   

Makes 6 generous servings

Here are some photos to help with the recipe:

Here is the gorgeous kale.

Onion and garlic ready to saute.

Using the food processor will save you a lot of time when slicing the potatoes.

Remove the stem from the kale.

Then slice the kale.

Shred some great cheese on top of the soup.

Happy Cooking,

The Teacher Cooks