Soup Recipes » Bean Soup » Kale and Bean Soup

Kale and Bean Soup

Soup prepared from sautéed garlic, chopped onion and fresh kale combined with chicken or vegetable broth, white beans, stewed tomatoes, dried thyme, dried rosemary, coarse salt, and fresh ground black pepper. Soup is simmered over low heat to soften vegetables and meld flavors. Individual servings are topped with chopped fresh parsley.

Ingredients -

1 tablespoon Olive Oil
6 to 8 Cloves Garlic (crushed or minced)
1 Large Onion, chopped
4 cups Fresh Chopped Kale (or 2 to 3 packages frozen)
3 cups, plus 1 cup Chicken or Vegetable Broth
2 (15 ounces each) cans White Beans
1 large can Stewed Tomatoes
1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
1 teaspoon Rosemary
Salt and Pepper, to taste
1 cup chopped Fresh Parsley, for garnish

Preparation:

1. Heat the olive oil, garlic and onion in a large pot.

2. Sauté until the onions are translucent.

3. Add the kale and stir to combine.

4. Cook until the kale wilts.

5. Add 3 cups of chicken broth, 1 can of white beans, tomatoes, herbs, salt and pepper.

6. Simmer the mixture for 10 minutes.

7. Mix the remaining broth and beans in a blender and process until smooth.

8. Add the bean mixture to the pot and simmer for 20 minutes.

9. Serve garnished with chopped parsley.

Soup Making Tips -
Sautéing Onions

	When sautéing onion, heat the saucepan over medium high heat for a minute or two before adding a small amount of oil or butter. Heat the oil or butter until hot and add the chopped or sliced onion. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onions have softened and begun to brown. Sautéing will reduce the amount of sulfur in the onions and bring out a sweeter flavor by caramelizing the natural sugars.

Soup Making Tips -
Garlic

	There are a few simple tricks that can help reduce or remove garlic breath. Chewing on a dried clove, mint leaves or parsley can eliminate the unwanted scent. Breath mints not only cover the odor, but the sugars and mint in them actually have a chemical affect on the sulfur in garlic to get rid of the unwanted aroma. Cold foods like ice cream or sherbet will lessen the garlic fragrance, while red wine will mask the sulfides leaving fresher breath.

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