I have a couple of recipes I call “wintry day picker-uppers”. Kale Soup with Cannellini Beans and Chorizo is one of them. Humble and easily made with pantry supplies I nearly always have on hand. I prefer the way Portuguese and Italians prepare kale soup. The kale is sautéed in olive oil with chorizos or slow-simmered in soups or stews. As with many other soups, this one improves in taste the next day.
Yield: 4 servings
Time: 45 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3/4 lb (340 g) Spanish chorizo sliced into 1/8-inch (0.3 cm) rounds
- 1 cup (140 g) chopped onions
- 1 cup (100 g) diced carrots
- 1 celery stick thinly sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 cup (200 g) tomatoes, peeled, seeded and cut into rough dices
- 1 cup (225 g) Yukon potatoes, peeled and cut into small 1/4-inch (0,6 cm) cubes
- 4 cups (1 L vegetable stock)
- 1 flat-leaf parsley twig
- 1 tsp oregano
- 4 cups (270 g) kale, cut into thin slivers (chiffonade)
- 1 3/4 cups (350 g) canned cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- salt and freshly ground pepper
- grated Parmesan cheese
Preparation:
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for about 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add garlic and the chopped tomato and cook for 5 minutes longer. Add beef stock, potato, parsley, and oregano. Simmer for 10 minutes or until potatoes begin to soften. Add the kale and continue cooking for another 8-10 minutes. Add the cannellini beans and heat it through. Taste for salt and pepper. Kale should be “al dente” and still have a shiny color.
Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.
