Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Soup, soup, soup, soup



I love soup. When I am sick, I want nothing else (except maybe some lemony, honeyed tea, but never soup and tea together).



This was a variation on a Cream, Kale, and Chicken Sausage soup. It was supposed to be Tomato, Kale and Chicken Sausage soup. But you see that distinct lack of green in those handsome soup bowls? That was my forgetting about the kale part.

To make this soup, you cut some red potatoes into slices, and you fry them with thin slices of onion and garlic until just about tender. Then, you squeeze some chicken sausages out of their casings and into little balls. Then you fry them up. Toss in a bay leaf. Then you add about four cups of chicken broth, and a can of diced tomatoes. If I had been paying attention, I would have added some kale at the very end (carefully removing the leaves from the stringy stems and tearing them into very small pieces). Add a little black pepper, and some bread and you've got a delightful meal. Don't forget to fish the bay leaf out.

Since that makes a pretty big pot of soup, I added some kale to it this morning and ate it for breakfast with the last of a multi grain baguette. Who can argue against its goodness?

I know some people who are displeased with having potatoes in with the vegetables, and then having bread on the side. A double starch combination that seems unhealthy. To those, I acknowledge their correct nutritional analysis. I also remember that need a textural counterpoint against brothy soup, something dry to keep the submerged foods from becoming monotonous.

In any event, soup is delicious.

5 comments:

  1. This looks nummy :) You don't have to get rid of the stringy stems - on the kale - if you slice it cross-wise into teeny tiny ribbons. And I love potato/wheat combinations - being a fan of potato breads. It's all about balance and how much.

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  2. Screw bread haters. Bread + Other food = Better Food. Always. Even when the other food is bread, and just bread.

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  3. Hi - Your soup looks ymmy! The color reminds me of borscht - have you tried that? Joy of cooking recipe is perfect - made with fresh beets and assorted veggies - I like to use carrots, onions, red and white cabbage, potatoes, and mushrooms, there's a bit of tomato too. Greens would also be nice - but I just like to use veggies that absorb the beet color well. Flavored with caraway, a bit of vinegar for a touch of sweet-sour flavor. Cook until all veggies are tender and the color is gorgeous red violet! Eat with a dollop of sour cream and some fresh dill. The best way to have beets in my view...

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  4. I really need to start experimenting with beets. I've also heard that red velvet cake used to be colored with beets, which kind of makes sense (considering that beets can also be put into brownies and such).

    I also need to try borsht. Right now I'm reading "How to Cook a Wolf" by MFK Fisher, and she's mentioned it already. I think there's a recipe for it hiding in the book.

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  5. Definitely try it - and at least initially do resist the temptation to add meat or meat stock. I don't think I made it with chicken stock back in the day although I'm prepared to stand corrected if that's what's called for in the main recipe in JOC. Reason? Borscht is one of those soups that tastes amazing in all it's pure vegetable splendor. As I recall, adding sausage or bacon or some other flavorsome meat was disappointing because it overpowered the wonderful vegetable flavors.

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