As far as soups go, kale soup sometimes ranks low on people’s lists, putting it somewhere between Yuck and Blech. Yet many of those same people will happily bake it off for kale chips or sauté it as a side dish. Could it be the color that one friend described as a “late spring compost heap”? Another friend’s face scrunched up at the thought as if they smelled that compost heap.
A bright and spicey soup for winter.
Yet there we were at the Ferry Building eagerly picking through a large bin of kale and soup just seemed like a good idea. We also picked through a crate of broccolini, fully intending to use that on something else. But when we had gotten about half way through making the soup, the two dishes sort of merged. We were tempted to thicken it up with a roux, but some tangy crème fraiche worked better. As the soup simmered, the Meyer lemons we originally bought to make a curd to bribe coworkers with seemed like a good addition in a classic Italian sauce we’d been meaning to return to. The result was grassy, bright and spicy and, best of all, filling while being healthy. Perfect for an unseasonably warm day.
- 1 pound kale leaves, stems trimmed and ribs removed
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp rosemary
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- juice of ½ Meyer lemon
- 1 qt chicken stock
- ½ cup crème fraiche
- Zest of one Meyer lemon
- Juice of ½ lemon
- ¼ cup oregano
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- Olive oil as needed
- 1 pound broccolini cut into bite size pieces
- olive oil
- salt and pepper
- chili flakes
- Sweat onion and garlic in olive oil with some salt and pepper. When translucent, add the kale and cook until the withered.
- Add the lemon and chicken stock and let simmer for 10 minutes. Puree with a stick blender until fully smooth. Add crème fraiche and whisk thoroughly. Place over a low flame and allow to simmer while prepping the remainder of the recipe
- Whisk zest, juice and garlic together with olive oil until a thick sauce forms akin to a salsa.
- Heat sauté pan over high heat. Add broccolini, salt and pepper and chili and sauté until brightened. Add 1 cup of water to steam. The florets are ready when they are al dente and beginning to brown.
- Place broccolini in bowls and ladle soup over. Garnish with gremolata and serve.
