Currant Kale Soup

Garden Kale

This is an adaptation of Dark Leafy Greens with Caramelized Onions, Raisins, and Pine Nuts from Rebecca Katz's cookbook, One Bite At a Time.  When I turned this into a pureed soup, Tom thought it was even better than its original form.  Maybe it was the melding of the flavors in the pureed form that made it so delectable.

I used kale as the greens both times I made it.  Swiss chard or beet greens or any other type of dark leafy greens would work well.  
Remember, kale is a natural cancer "phyter" with all of it's phytonutrients.  And it is abundant in Tom's vegetable garden right now, as you can see in the photo.  Its rumply green leaves are simply beautiful! I am adding a label of "kale" to my recipes that include it, to make it easier for you to find more of these healthy possibilities.  

Just a quick note about preparing kale:  a quick and easy way to de-stem kale is to rip the leaves from the stem by holding the bottom of the stem in one hand and pulling the leaves up from the bottom with your other hand.  Quick and efficient. The stems can be tough, so it is definitely best to remove them unless the kale is still very tender and young.  

 Ingredients:
6 cups destemmed and chopped kale
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
1 small red onion, diced (about 1/2 cup)
pinch of sea salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup currants (or raisins)
1 Tablespoon toasted pine nuts (optional)
1- 2 cups water to achieve desired consistency









Preparation:
Cover the chopped kale with cold water and set aside until ready to use.

In a large, deep saute pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt.  Saute for 3 - 5 minutes. Decrease the heat to low and cook slowly until the onions are caramelized, about 20 minutes.

Add the garlic and stir for about 30 seconds, just until aromatic. Add the currants and stir for about 30 seconds. Deglaze the pan with 2 Tablespoons of water to loosen all the flavorful bits from the bottom.

Drain the kale.  Begin adding the kale to the pan with a pinch of salt, continuing to add as many greens as will fit in the pan. Add the water and cover and simmer until the greens are tender, 5 - 7 minutes. Add the pine nuts.

Puree in a blender, Magic Bullet or VitaMix or with an immersion stick, adding  vegetable broth or water to get the desired consistency.  I made a small batch so I used the Magic Bullet.  Next time I think I will make a large batch and use the VitaMix.  The velvety texture created by the VitaMix is uniquely wonderful and full of Pzazz!

Currant Kale Soup

Nutrition per serving:
Servings per recipe: 2
Serving Size: About 1 1/2 cups depending on
how thick or thin you make it
Calories: 283
Total Fat: 11 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 361 mg
Total Carbs: 25 g
Dietary Fiber: 6
Protein: 8 g