Tag Archives: kale

Sep22

Kale Soup with Potato

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Bandit and IBBA display 003

Kale Soup with Potato

Makes 4 servings

I love Kale and my bird, Bandit loves Kale.  Hugo, my toy poodle, does not. Oh well, Hugo and I don’t always like the same foods. Funny though, I don’t remember seeing as much kale as that being displayed recently in our markets. Well, I’m glad it’s so readily available because there’s so much you can do with it and Bandit tells me that it’s extremely healthy for you.  Thanks Bandit. Additionally, I’ll tell you that I like kale raw for a salad as well as cooked in various ways as in this recipe.  Even if you don’t like Kale that much, I think that you’ll enjoy it this way.  So, here goes and as usual: ENJOY and Bon Appétit!!!

Ingredients:

  1. 1 large baking potato, cut into eighths
  2. 1 clove garlic, lightly smashed
  3. 5 cups vegetable stock (but you can also use chicken or beef stock)
  4. About 3 cups roughly chopped kale leaves (well rinsed and stripped from the stalks before chopping)
  5. 1 Tsp. FRESH marjoram (the fresh makes such a difference but dried will do and you can use oregano instead if you wish)
  6. 1 bay leaf
  7. S&P to taste

Instructions:

  1. Combine the potato, garlic and 2 C. of the stock in a medium saucepan and turn the heat to medium-high.  Cook until the potato is soft, about 15 minutes; cool slightly.
  2. While doing the above, cook the kale in the remaining stock (3 C) with the marjoram (oregano) and bay leaf until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove the bay leaf.
  3. Now, I use a potato masher to mash the potato mixture before putting it a blender to puree it. Puree it. The mixture will be thick. Stir it into the simmering kale, season with S&P, and heat through.
  4. Serve immediately

Additional versions:

  1. Beat 2 eggs with 1/2 Cup of shredded Parmesan Cheese.  Add this mixture at the last minute into your soup.  There will be bits of egg and parmesan in it and it’ll be delicious.  If you just do the eggs, that’s a bit Greek or Chinese. The Parmesan gives it an Italian twist.
  2. For a Japanese version, add a bit of soy sauce, sesame oil and a dash of lime.  You can even add a bit of green chili sauce.
  3. You can also add some sliced chicken sausage in the soup to make it a bit of the Portuguese version.

 

See how versatile just a bit of potato and kale can be?

 

For easy access and printing of this and past recipes, visit Margot’s blog http://blog.tempinnkeeper.com  Call Margot for personal cooking help @ 721-3551.

Margot is a self-taught enthusiastic & passionate cook. Having been an inn-keeper for 5 years at her own inn, she accumulated a lot of good recipes which she loves to share.

 

 

 

Jul16

Kale and Spinach Get Together

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Kale and Spinach Get Together

Can Serve 4  portions, however, I can eat the whole thing

 

This is an easy and healthy dish to enjoy by itself or with almost any kind of entrée. Personally, I do love my greens so I’ll make this my whole meal.

 

Ingredients:

3 C. chopped fresh kale freshly water rinsed

2 C. fresh baby spinach freshly water rinsed with the kale

1/2 C. chopped onion

2 chopped garlic cloves

1/2 to 1 Tsp. crushed red pepper

1 Tblsp. olive oil

1/4 to 1/2 C. water or vegetable bouillon

1/2 to 3/4 C. of shredded 6 blend Italian cheese

Grated Parmesan for the topping

 

Directions:

Put the olive oil in a large pot over a medium high burner and when heated, put in the onion, garlic cloves and red pepper.  Stir until onions are translucent and garlic is slightly brown and add the freshly water rinsed kale and spinach and stir a bit more until they are somewhat wilted.  Then add the water or bouillon and let simmer without a cover for about 15 minutes. (If you need a bit more liquid, add some.)  Then add the cheese and let simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes. (Once again, if you need a bit more liquid, add some.) Place in a pretty dish and sprinkle the top with shredded Parmesan.

Variation: Instead of using the olive oil, chop some bacon and let gently fry in pot; remove bacon but leave the bacon oil and in it, sauté the onion, garlic and crushed red pepper. Then proceed as above and stir in the bacon with the veggies at the very end. Then sprinkle top with the Parmesan.

 

 

 

Jun20

Lentils and Kale Delight-Think Single

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Lentils & Kale Delight—Think Single

Servings: for one or possibly two people

 

I am a single person with a wonderful toy poodle and a lovely Green Singing Finch. Most of my days, I eat my main meal in the middle of the day (following my Swiss heritage I guess) and a little something more in the evenings.  This is a wonderfully EASY, quick, tasty, and healthy dish to make for your evening meal (or any time of the day for that matter)

Ingredients:

1/2 C. lentils (the packaged brown kind)

1 or 2 chopped garlic (I actually use the jar kind)

1/3 C. chopped red onion

4 or 5 sprigs of whole parsley

1 or 2 sprigs of fresh thyme

3 or more mint leaves (chopped)

1/2 Tblsp. cumin seeds

2 C. chicken broth

1 C. or more of chopped fresh kale

Shaved Parmesan cheese for topping

Additional ingredients you can add are:

One diced boiling potato to make a perfect protein with the lentils (you might want to add a bit more liquid if so).

For the naughty at heart, a bit of diced bacon from the start.

In a good sized pot, place the above mentioned ingredients and bring to a nice simmer. Place a lid on top but tilt it—and simmer for anywhere from 20 to 25 minutes depending how tender you wish the lentils and kale to be.  You can adjust the herbs to your taste. I felt that I didn’t need to add S&P—but do whatever inspires you.  That’s what cooking is all about—a little experimenting and lot of enjoying.  Use a lot of the right side of your brain when it comes to cooking.  It should be creative and fun.

Place in a beautiful soup bowl and top with freshly shaved Parmesan.

By the time I have cooked this, my toy poodle is hungry for his meal. So of course, I give him a bit of chicken stock and parmesan, all of which he loves and well appreciates. Then for Bandit, the bird, he gets some fresh kale.

For easy access and printing of this and past recipes, visit Margot’s blog http://blog.innkeeper.com  Call Margot for personal cooking help @ 721-3551.

Margot is a self-taught enthusiastic & passionate cook. Having been an inn-keeper for 5 years at her own inn, she accumulated a lot of good recipes which she loves to share.