kale

this is red russian kale. my favorite. although in this photo it hasn't matured enough to really show off it's purplish veins. it is most frequently grown for baby salad greens, i let mine grow up big and harvest leaves all summer and fall, with enough to share!
i made a big pot of soup this week for my husband's band rehearsal, i'd like to share that recipe here: disclaimer, i cook without proper measuring , (i bake with accuracy though, don't fret!). so i will guestimate amounts.I used some wonderful lamb sausage in this, but feel free to use what's on hand or available.

Kale and Sausage Soup
olive oil
1 lb good sausage (lamb, chicken, pork a mix) sliced in to 1/2 inch pieces
a hefty bunch of Kale (3+ inches in diameter when you've gathered it at the stems!) stems removed and set aside, leaves slivered
2 large leeks, sliced thinly in rounds and washed
6 cloves of garlic....yep,6, smashed
1 large onion, in 1/2 inch chunks
4 large carrots, cut in half lengthwise and sliced in 1/2 inch tick rounds (or half moons now)
1 lb small/medium potatoes,( anything but idaho baking) a mix is nice! cut in quarters
8 -10 cups chicken broth or a mix of broth and water (see note below.)
2 cups cooked chick peas (canned is fine, drain.)
sprig of fresh rosemary (or a TBLS dried)
2 bay leaves
TBLS red pepper flakes (or a small chili pepper)
left over stale bread, the size of your fist, if you have it.torn into pieces (this adds some thickening)
1/2 cup white wine..if you have
PROCESS:
in a large stock pot, saute sausage with a bit of olive oil until browned and the fats have leeched out.remove sausage and reserve for later. put 8 cups of broth or water in to the same pot, with rosemary,bay leaves and garlic,and kale stems. bring to boil then simmer for 1/2 hour or so. meanwhile get all the other ingredients ready. remove kale stems form broth. add leeks, onion,potatoes,carrots and chickpeas.. let this simmer until potatoes are almost done, use a fork to check! then add the reserved sausage,kale,chili flakes,wine and bread if using. cook another 15 minutes or so. if it needs to sit longer, turn the heat off. finish with a good drizzle of olive oil!
Bon Appetite!

note: product placement! I am a huge fan of the product 'better than bullion'. it is a paste, available in chicken, beef,vegetable and no chicken. i buy the organic version in our health food store, it is also available, next to bullion, in the regular food store. it is all natural concentrated broth base.no msg or other crap. I haven't used the vegetable one, i have no need. but i made this soup, without the sausage for my vegetarian daughter and used the no chicken base, couldn't tell the difference!
using broth adds a richness to many dishes, and lowers oil use :)





about meats.i buy only free ranged grass/grain fed animal products. i have a serious penchant toward learning to kill and butcher, I'm sure that will play out at some point. i promise not to post photos! until then i seek out what's best and eat less meat, it helps to have a vegetarian in the family too!

next up : Winter Squash Lasagna