Sausage and Kale Soup
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This is one of those dishes that gets me yearning for the change of seasons. When the leaves are starting to turn, and the air has that crisp freshness, I know it’s time.
I love how the sweetness and subtle nuttiness of the coconut milk comes together with the savory-sweetness of the fennel in the sausage. It’s so perfect. I opt for coconut milk over dairy in this for two reasons: 1.) that flavor combination is just so good, and 2.) sometime I don’t digest unfermented dairy very well. You certainly can sub out the coconut milk for your milk/cream of choice, though I suggest that whatever you choose, it have a good amount of fat in it.
Now, enough yammering already. You just really need this recipe:
Sausage and Kale Soup
Ingredients
1 lb sweet sausage (hot sausage is also good, though the result is another thing entirely)
1/2 medium onion, diced
3 carrots, cut in coins
1-2 medium white potato, cubed
3-4 kale leaves, de-stemmed and thinly sliced
1-2 clove garlic minced
salt to taste
pepper to taste
4 cups stock
4 oz (1/2 can) coconut milk
1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter or avocado oil
Preparation
In a large pot, heat the tablespoon of coconut oil over medium heat. Remove the sausage from the casing and add it to the pot. Cook the sausage thoroughly, breaking it apart into small chunks as it cooks. Alternatively, cook the sausage whole and cut it into coins after it has cooked.
Remove sausage from the pot and set aside. If you have kept the sausage whole, allow to cool slightly. then slice it into coins.
Drain most of the sausage fat from the pot, reserving some for sauteing the vegetables.
Saute onion in the fat until it begins to soften and become translucent. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
Add the carrots and toss together. Allow the carrots to brighten slightly, but do not let them soften. Toss in the potatoes.
Return the sausage to the pot and add the garlic, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Stir in the stock, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any bits that have stuck. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer 15 minutes or so, until the carrots and potatoes are tender but not mushy.
Near the end, stir in the coconut milk. Canned coconut milk tends to separate. You may want to whisk the coconut milk or run it through the blender before adding to ensure it is fully emulsified and lump free.
Finally, the kale. Either add to the pot at the very end, or to avoid over-cooking, place the shredded kale in the bottom of each soup bowl at the time of serving and ladle the hot soup over it.
Ohhhh, friends, this soup. It is easily one of my favorite soups for fall and winter, and it is easily a crowd-pleaser. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
