Kale Soup Tips
If you’ve never prepared kale before, it’s very simple.  The leaves have a rather tough stem or rib, which can be removed by slicing on either side.  Slice out all of the stems and discard them, and then slice the kale into ribbons.  Easy peasy.

Kale nutrition facts here.

Slow Lacinato Blue Kale Soup with Creamy White Beans and Ham
Yield: about eight servings

Ingredients:
2 c. dried white beans, such as great northern or cannellini
8 c. chicken stock (homemade recipe here or Swanson’s organic)
1 meaty ham hock
1 bay leaf
1 medium onion, diced
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
3 stalks of celery, diced
1 large bunch of kale, stems trimmed out and cut into ribbons
pepper and perhaps a bit of salt

Method:

• Place the beans into a large pan and cover them with four cups of water.  Bring to a boil over high heat and boil for one minute.  Then let the beans sit for one hour.

• Drain the beans and transfer them to a large soup pot.  Add the chicken stock, the ham hock, the bay leaf, and a few grinds of pepper, and bring the soup to a boil over high heat.  Lower the heat and simmer gently until the beans are soft, about one hour.

• Add the onion, carrots, and celery and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.

• Remove the ham hock, and tear the meat into bite-sized shards with a knife and fork.  Add the ham back to the soup pot.

• Add the kale and simmer just until it has wilted.

• Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Lightning Quick Kale Soup with Creamy White Beans and Ham
Yield: about eight servings

Ingredients:
a little olive oil for the pan
1 medium onion, diced
3 medium carrots, peeled and diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 bay leaf
2 tins of white beans, such as great northern or cannellini
2- ½ “ thick slices of good ham, cubed
8 c. chicken stock (homemade recipe here or Swanson’s organic)
1 large bunch kale, stems trimmed out and cut into ribbons
pepper and perhaps a little salt

Method:

• Warm a soup pot over low heat.  Drizzle a bit of olive oil into the pan.  When it is warm, add the onions and sauté until soft.

• Add the carrots and celery and sauté for a few minutes.

• Add the bay leaf, beans, ham, chicken stock, and a few grinds of pepper, and raise the heat.  Bring the soup to a boil.  Lower the heat and simmer the soup for a few minutes, checking that the vegetables are tender.

• Add the kale and simmer just until it is wilted.

• Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:
2 whole pork tenderloins
salt and pepper
olive oil for the pan

Method:

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

• Pat the pork tenderloins dry and season them with salt and pepper.  Dry meat browns better.

• Heat a cast iron or other skillet over medium high heat.  When it is hot, drizzle in a few turns of olive oil.

• When the olive oil is hot, place the pork tenderloins in the pan.  Do not lift, move, or disturb them.

• When they have taken on a crisp brown exterior, turn them and allow them to brown.  Sear all four sides in this manner.

• Remove them from the pan and place them on a baking sheet.  Do not wash the pan in which you seared them.  You will use the pan drippings for the sauce.

• Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake the pork tenderloins for 18 minutes.

• Remove the tray from the oven, tent the pork tenderloins with aluminum foil, and allow them to rest for 10 minutes.

• Slice them thinly and serve them with the sauce.

Autumn Sauce

Ingredients:
1 small onion, sliced thinly
½ c. golden raisins
1 c. prunes, chopped roughly
¾ c. sherry
3 T. currant jelly
3 T. cold butter, cubed
salt and pepper

Method:

• Heat the pan in which you seared the pork tenderloins and drizzle a bit of olive oil into it.

• Add the onions, sprinkle them with a bit of salt and pepper, and sauté them until they begin to take on a bit of color.

• Add the sherry and scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan.

• Add the prunes, golden raisins, and currant jelly,  and reduce the sauce until it is syrupy.

• Add the cold butter a cube at a time and stir the sauce until it is melted for a glossy, rich sauce.

• Serve with the pork tenderloin.

Butternut Squash and Buttercream Potato Gratin

Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
2 pounds buttercream potatoes
1 c. heavy cream (I love Cedar Summit Farms.)
3 T. butter, cubed
4 ounces Emmanthaler cheese, grated
salt and pepper

Method:

• Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

• Bring the potatoes to boil in a large pot of water and cook until tender, or until a knife inserted pierces them easily.  Drain them in a colander.

• Place the buttnernut squash on a sheet pan, drizzle it with olive oil, sprinkle it with salt and pepper, toss it together, and place it in the oven.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until the cubes are tender.

• Place the squash and the potatoes in an oven-safe serving dish.  Mash them a bit with a potato masher and mix them together.  Season them with a bit of salt and pepper, drizzle them with the cream, dot them with the butter, and top them with the cheese.

• Place them in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, or until the top is brown and lovely.

Recipes in Concert

To make all of the recipes in concert:

1.     Preheat the oven.

2.     Sear the pork tenderloin.

3.     Boil the potatoes.

4.     Cube and roast the squash.

5.     Prepare the gratin.

6.     Put the pork and the gratin in the oven for 20 minutes.

7.     Prepare the sauce.

8.     Allow the pork to rest and then slice it.