Saturday, January 7, 2012

Time for some winter soup with Kale and squash

We are having an unseasonably warm winter. Although I feel bad for the businesses that depend on snow and ice for winter sports, I treasure every warm day that we have so far.  January is usually a depressing month for me. There are limited choices of fruit and vegetable, and sometime they do not taste right.  We had a rare treat this week, my co-op Wedge had some beautiful carrot.  I had to get some. l then remember I stored the a last of the squash and potatoes from the CSA. It's time for hearty winter soup.  

The squash I store now has a hard almost shell like skin. I decide to roast it and make it easier to remove the skin and it also add more flavor to the soup. I am using washed and chopped kale in a bag and ready made steamed French lentil from Trader Joe's. Both are great time saver products. I especially love the lentil. I keep a box on hand at all time.


Winter Kale and lentil with roasted squash and carrot soup
2 small dumpling squash or 1 med size acorn squash. Cut in half, remove pulp and roast in 375 degrees oven till tender.  Remove skin and cut in to small cubes
1 bunch of carrots. Cleaned, peeled, cut into small cubes and dry roast in 375 degrees oven till tender
1 onion. Peeled, cleaned and cut into small pieces
3 stalks of celery. Cleaned and cut into small pieces
1 large tablespoon of Herb de Provence
1 bag of washed washed chopped Kale
2 tsp crushed garlic from a jar
1 carton  32oz vegetable stock
1 cup water
1 cup steamed French lentil
Olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
In a dutch oven, heat a couple of tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat till hot, add crushed garlic
Stir in onion and celery, cook till tender and onion starts to caramelized.
Add Herb de Provence, salt and pepper. Let it cook till it's frangrance.
Mix in roasted carrot and squash.
Slowly add chopped kale in 2 batches.
Mix well and cook kale till soften
Add stock and water.
Bring to a boil and lower heat to medium low.
Cover and simmer till kale is tender about 20 mins.  Add 1 cup of cooked lentil
Simmer for additional 5 mins to blend the flavor.
Ready to serve.

Serve 6 as a main course.

Enjoy

Aloha





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