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Hearty Kale Soup

This recipe was designed to allow maximal versatility in ingredient selection to accommodate individuals desiring to limit their intake of certain unhealthy fats while maximizing intake of a number of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants. In addition, the chef can exchange listed vegetables and meats depending on personal preferences and availability. All ingredients listed below except for olive oil, sea salt and meat, were organic. Meats used were all natural without MSG or Nitrites.

Serving Size: 4
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 1 hr 45 mins

Ingredients

Vegetables
1              Large Spanish Onion (mince)
2             Stalks Celery (mince)
2             Large Carrots (peeled and diced after washing
4-6        Garlic Cloves (peeled and minced)
1/2 lbs    Kale (preferably a mixture of Tuscan, Red Russian, Blue Scottish Curled and/or Winterbor varieties as available; wash well; break into small pieces excluding the stalk)
1              Italian Flat Parsley Bunch (1 large bunch: clean and use leaves; Cilantro can be substituted for parsley)

Liquids
2qts         Chicken Stock
1/4 cup    Olive Oil

Meat
1/2 lbs Choose your favorite and also the degree of spice as appropriate: Italian Sausage (sweet, medium hot, or hot); Choriza sausage; Andoullie Sausage; Smoked Ham Hock or Smoked Turkey Necks. Medium to Hot Italian sausage overall added a lot of flavor and contrast. Small chunks of Tofu can be substituted for meat.  

Spices
2 tsp     Sea Salt (to taste)
1 tsp      Oregano (Dry)
2 tbsp   Lemon Juice: optional

 

Directions

  1. Suggest mincing/dicing and combining all vegetables (except Kale) together in small bowl; add olive oil to skillet on medium heat and cook for several minutes with stirring (8-10 minutes).
  2. If dry red beans are used, remove any foreign debris such as gravel and wash several times with running tap water. Let beans soak overnight being sure that you add sufficient water. Rinse again after soaking. I prefer to cook the beans separately for at least 1 ½ hours or until soft followed by washing and removing any foreign material. Transfer the beans, cooked vegetable mixture, rendered sausage broken into small pieces, chicken stock, spices and kale to a large Dutch Oven to accommodate the large volume, cover and let simmer for 1 ½ hours. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
  3. Additional salt and other spices can be added as desired.

 

*Modified by recipe by Bobby Flay in Food Network Magazine, Bobby Flay’s Spanish Chorizo, Kale and Cranberry Bean Soup; Jan-Feb, 2015; p. 96.

  • Mince vegetables small
  • Suggest removing sausages from their casings, break into small pieces and bake in oven for approx. 25 minutes at 350 degrees to cook. Preferable sausage without casings can be found to make the task a bit easier. Use of the grease rendered from sausages is optional. Olive oil will suffice.