Description:

Delcious Potato and Kale Soup LOADED with nutrients and flavor! Simple and a great meal idea.

Source:

S. Chokel

Serves/Makes:4 or more

Ingredients

• 2 lbs (.9 kg). potatoes, burbank, yukon, or your favorite vareity
• Water and chicken stock blend to cover potatoes for boiling
• 3/4 lb (.3 kg). bacon
• 1 bunch kale, about 1 lb (.5 kg).
• 1 clove garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup (225 ml) heavy cream
• 1 bunch of chives, optional
• 5 tsp (25 ml) balsamic vinegar
• salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

• Peel potatoes and put in a pot with enough cold water and chicken stock to cover.
• Cover pot and bring to a boil, then lower heat, uncover, and simmer until done, about 25 minutes.
• Drain, reserving the cooking liquid.
• Break up potatoes with a potato masher; they should be lumpy, not smooth.
• Cook the bacon until crisp.
• Pour off all but 2 tbsp (30 ml) of the bacon fat, reserving the extra fat.
• Chop bacon.
• Stem and chop the kale.
• Mince the garlic.
• Cook half the kale and half the garlic in the 2 tbsp (30 ml) bacon fat over medium heat until kale is wilted, about 1 minute.
• Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a bowl.
• Repeat with remaining kale and garlic, using the reserved bacon fat as needed.
• Return all the kale to the frying pan and add the heavy cream.
• Simmer over low heat until the kale is tender, about 10 minutes.
• Mince the chives.
• Combine potatoes with about 4 cups (950 ml) of the reserved cooking liquid in a large pot.
• Add more cooking liquid or water if too thick.
• Add kale mixture to the pot and bring to a simmer.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Pour into bowls and sprinkle with chives and bacon.

Comments

Try cooking with Kale more often! Nutritionally Speaking: Kale is a superstar! It is virtually loaded with calcium, potassium, indoles (cancer-fighting substances), beta-carotenes, and other antioxidants. A serving size is about 3.5 oz and has 53 calories, and twice the RDA of Vitamins A and C.

Buying and Storing: Leafy greens are officially "in season" in the winter months, but tend to be available year-round.

Choose leaves that are crisp and fresh and have a deep green color, with no yellow tinge. Smaller leaves have a milder flavor, can be cooked whole, and often have stems tender enough to eat. With larger leaves, you'll need to cut out and discard the stems, and then chop the leaves into small pieces.

Store kale in dry plastic bags in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can also cook the greens, and store them in the freezer in sealed plastic bags. They'll keep for months, so you can use them spontaneously in soups or casseroles when you don't have time to get to the store.