dinner

First really chilly day of the season

Sausage and Kale Soup 

w/ red potatoes

I sort of felt the first twinges of a possible cold today - could have just been allergies, so hot soup was called for. I've sort of posted this before, there is not even a real recipe.

• 3 medium onions
• 3-4 stalks of celery - use the leafy part too, loads of flavor
• 1 BIG carrot, or a few small.

Mostly onion, then celery, then carrot - all chopped close to the same size. All in your large heavy bottomed pot with a little oil. Let it go, nice and slow,really - there are not many ingredients in this soup, so you need to build the flavor that comes with letting your vegetables cook a good long time. A few minutes in add a big teaspoon full of 

• Whole Grain Mustard

Cook everything down, then add

• 5-6 Italian Sausage Links  - out of the casings. I use hot - either is fine

Squish them out of the little tubes into the veggies, break apart with a spoon and again, just let it go - before its all the way cooked / browned add

• A lot of chopped garlic - how much, I used 4 BIG  cloves - as much as you think you like, but more than you would use in almost anything else, but I really like garlic.

Finish cooking all this - season, I only used 

• salt and pepper

While all that is going on de-rib, wash and chop 

• 2 bunches of Kale. I used the plain old curly kind today, but what ever you can find. 

Add to the meat and veggies 

• 2 boxes plus one large can of chicken stock. Tonight I used two boxes of organic, free range blah blah, cause it was on sale. It did have a really good flavor. Then the large can just to round it all out....You could use veggie stock - mixture. With the flavor from the rendered sausage, I bet you could get away with water in a pinch.
• ADD THE CLEANED CHOPPED KALE

It will look like way to much, like you have made a pot of greens, and as a matter of fact I did hold a little bit back, maybe a 1/4 head - but it could have taken it all. Like all greens they really reduce.

After things have cooked for a few min, add your washed and chopped

• 4-5 medium red potatoes - you just don't want to cook these to much.

Cook just until the potatoes are done - and they are large diced , so really does not take all that long. Much better if they do not cook to mush.