Kale Soup
6 small new potatoes, diced
Water for boiling potatoes.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced or diced
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1-2 fresh jalapeno or serano, seeded and diced
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/8-1/4 teaspoon chilli powder or cayenne
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
(optional) generous pinch saffron, lightly crushed
3 bay leaves
1 3-inch cinnamon stick
salt to taste
3 cups or 2 cans, drained and rinsed, of cooked chickpeas or red beans (I do a can of each, myself)
8 cups vegetable broth (or water plus bouillon)
1 large tomato, diced
1 large bunch kale, thick center ribs removed and chopped or torn
Cook potatoes until just done, then drain and set aside.
Heat olive oil in bottom of soup pan.
Add onion, carrots, garlic, and chiles. Saute over medium-high heat until onion is transparent.
Add spices and stir.
Add chickpeas and/or beans and stir to coat with spices.
Add vegetable broth and diced tomato. Continue to cook and stir over medium-high heat until it begins to boil.
Add kale, stir into soup, then turn down heat to low or medium-low to simmer.
Simmer 10-20 minutes, depending on how done you like the kale.
Stir in cooked potatoes and then serve.
I’ve also made a larger batch by using two bunches of kale, medium to large new potatoes, and three quarts vegetable broth. Everything else just increase by approximately half again… or not. Everyone seems to enjoy it immensely with just adding the extra broth, potato and kale.
