Serves 6
A member of the same family as cabbage, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts, kale stars in this soup, which is made with bacon and carrots, garnished with Greek yogurt, and served with crumbled kale chips.
| Olive oil (for sprinkling) | |
| 2 | pounds kale, stemmed |
| Salt and black pepper, to taste | |
| 6 | cups chicken stock |
| 4 | slices lean bacon, cut into small strips |
| 1 | large onion, chopped |
| 2 | cloves garlic, chopped |
| ¼ | teaspoon crushed red pepper, or more, to taste |
| 3 | medium carrots, thickly sliced |
| 2 | whole cloves |
| 1 | bay leaf |
| ½ | cup plain Greek yogurt |
1. Set the oven at 300 degrees. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet.
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2. Cut the kale into large pieces and wash them thoroughly. Take 20 of the larger ones and spin them in a salad spinner or dry them thoroughly with paper towels. Coat the leaves very lightly with about 1 teaspoon of the olive oil. Place them on the baking sheet. Toast in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until dry and crisp. Check them after 8 minutes to see if they are browning too fast. When they are done, remove them from the oven and sprinkle with salt.
3. Meanwhile, in a soup pot, combine the remaining leaves with 1 cup of the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
4. In a skillet, render the bacon for 5 minutes, turning often, or until golden brown. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Set aside 2 tablespoons for the garnish. Add the remaining bacon to the kale.
5. Spoon off and discard all but 2 tablespoons fat from the skillet. Add the onion, garlic, salt, black pepper, and red pepper. Cook, stirring often, for 8 minutes. Add it to the kale mixture with the remaining 5 cups chicken stock, carrots, cloves, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cover the pot. Simmer for 40 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender. Remove the bay leaf and cloves (if you can find them).
6. Working in batches, puree the soup until smooth. Return to the pot. Taste the soup for seasoning and add more salt and red pepper, if you like. Ladle into bowls and garnish with yogurt and reserved bacon. Serve with the kale chips. Ingrid Lysgaard
