There was a discussion about this in the Le Creuset thread, but I thought I’d post the recipe here with some pics.
This is one of my favorite wintertime soups. I base mine on a recipe from Epicurious. I’ll post that recipe, but I improvise a bit, which I’ll go through ahead of the recipe.
- For starters, I double it so I can portion some out and freeze it.
- I don’t bother with the croutons. Extra work and carbs.
- I use Yukon gold potatoes instead of russet, plus I keep the skins on as I like the taste, but it’s also a rustic soup and the skins add more rusticity. Just make sure to scrub them well.
- I’ll add about two to three sliced carrots during the onion sweating stage. I think the carrots add a lot.
- I like to add one or two shredded chicken breasts when you add liquid. It’s a great way to use up leftover rotisserie chicken, but it also adds a lot to the overall dish.
- I tend to make it more stew-like, meaning a bit less liquid. It’s even better the next day when the potatoes and kale have absorbed more of the stock. If you’ve used home made stock that’s rich in gelatin, the whole thing will have congealed the next day.
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
- 8 ounces fully cooked smoked Spanish chorizo or hot Calabrese
salami, casing removed if necessary, chopped - 2 teaspoons smoked paprika*
- 1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
- 8 cups low-salt chicken broth
- 1 1/2 pounds kale, stemmed, torn into small pieces (about 16 cups
lightly packed) - 3 cups 1/2-inch cubes rustic bread
Preparation
Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onion; cook
until translucent, about 8 minutes. Add chorizo and paprika; stir 1
minute. Add potatoes and broth. Increase heat and bring to boil. Add
kale; stir until wilted and soup returns to boil. Reduce heat to low,
cover, and simmer 1 hour, stirring occasionally. DO AHEAD:/ Can be made
1 day ahead./ Refrigerate uncovered until cool, then cover and chill.
Rewarm before serving.
Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add
bread cubes and sauté until golden, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle croutons
with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: / Can be made 4 hours ahead. Let stand
at room temperature./
Divide soup among bowls. Top with croutons and serve.
Step by step pics from a batch I made.
The ingredients. I actually ended up adding a bunch more kale, one more onion and ran out of homemade chicken stock and added a quart of store bought.
Sweat the onions and carrots.
Add the smoked paprika and render the chorizo a little.
I like to stir the potatoes a bit before adding stock, but that’s just me.
After adding stock and bringing to a boil, add kale.
When boiling again, reduce heat to simmer and add shredded chicken (optional.)
Doneski and ready to be portioned off and frozen.