Hotbox Hipster

the keilbasa and kale recipe i am about to share with you is a recipe i’ve been making for 6+ years ~ and it’s the ONLY thing i prepare that my husband won’t eat.  we joke about it and say he’s allowed one dislike.  he dislikes the kale – and in general tends to complain about soup as a meal.  as a soup lover, this is painful to deal with, especially once the weather turns cold in Pittsburgh.  i have been known to eat soup for breakfast, so no problems with me finishing the pot solo. this last batch i made lasted for three days. i gave a portion to my sister, of which my mom ate a bowl for lunch. it fed me for dinner 2 days and breakfast 2 days. it’s an absolutely delicious recipe – it was adapted from an Emeril recipe.  kale is very beneficial, especially when steamed.  it’s fiber combines with bile acids in our bodies- and when excreted, helps to lower cholesterol levels. it has many cancer lowering benefits, and special antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. it’s extremely high in vitamins K, A, and C… with the vitamin K level being off the charts, literally.  Plus, using turkey keilbasa instead of it’s full fat polish counterpart lowers the fat significantly. the last time i prepared it, i used a carton of organic chicken stock- which helped enhance the flavor even more. i hope you enjoy this soup as much as i do- and make it year round as the different ingredients become more plentiful.  it’s made to be toyed with… so add some shredded rotisserie chicken if you wish… or up the garlic to four cloves… you feelin’ me?

Turkey Keilbasa and Kale soup : the goods

1 T olive oil

1 fennel bulb (fronds removed- bulb chopped)

1 large onion chopped

3 cans chicken broth (or 32oz. carton of chicken STOCK- for more flavor)

7 cups of water

2 sweet potatoes (peeled and small dice)

1 package of turkey keilbasa (small to medium dice)

3 cloves garlic (minced)

3/4 cup uncooked orzo pasta

2 handfuls of baby carrots (or four large carrots- peeled and diced)

1.5  tsp of salt

1/2 tsp of black pepper

1.5 tsp of dried parsley

few shakes of cayenne pepper

big pinch of dried thyme

large bunch of kale – trimmed from stem and chopped a bit into bite sized leaves

(you will end up with a huge pile of kale… don’t panic, this reduces down greatly once added to the soup)

~saute in a large dutch oven or soup pot: fennel and onion in olive oil for about 5 mins or until tender/translucent. Add broth through herbs, (not kale) and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes covered.  Uncover and add big pile of kale leaves and press down into broth – cover again and simmer for 15 mins more.  ENJOY!!!

~this soup truly gets better as it sits there… and the day(s) to follow.  if you like kale… or if you are willing to try new things… please attempt this.  please do not leave out the fennel (anise) either… once you saute it, your nose will tell you why.  it’s what makes this soup special.

peace and love yo.