Kale & Tortellini Soup

I’ve developed a bad habit that goes something like this: make blog-worthy meal, forget to take a picture, promise to take a picture of the leftovers, take the leftovers for lunch which I eat in my windowless “office”, get down to the final serving of the leftovers and realized I haven’t taken a picture of this meal. So that’s why you’re getting an iPhone picture of this soup in my Pyrex container.

I’m on-call from Friday morning until Monday morning every other weekend, and two weekends ago, I had an awful call. I only go in for emergencies (i.e., deaths), and I went in four times. None of the patients were over 60. I haven’t talked much about work here because most of the stories are not my stories to tell, but I was zonked. I needed some therapeutic time in the kitchen and some comfort food, and this meal fulfilled both. The broth was surprisingly but pleasantly spicy from the red pepper. I generally prefer blended soups to soups with a lot of component parts, though for a satisfying meal, this did the trick.

Kale & Tortellini Soup
source: Apple A Day
Yields 6 servings

Ingredients

1 tsp. olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 large carrots, peeled and chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried Herbes de Provence (or thyme)
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 (14 oz.) can low-sodium fire-roasted diced tomatoes
8 c. low-sodium vegetable broth
1 (14 oz.) can canellini beans, drained and rinsed
6 oz. kale, washed, ribbed, and chopped
1 (9 oz.) package whole wheat cheese tortellini
1/2 c. grated Parmesan, for garnish (optional)

Preparation

1.  Heat oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook 3 minutes more.

2.  Add in carrots, celery, oregano, thyme, and red pepper flakes.  Cook mixture, stirring often, until softened, 5-6 minutes.

3.  Add the tomatoes, with their juices, and broth.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer 10-15 minutes.

4.  Add beans, kale, and tortellini and continue simmering until tortellini are cooked through, about 6 minutes.  Serve topped with Parmesan cheese, if desired

Butternut Squash, Kale, and Cheddar Bread Pudding

I’d never actually made bread pudding before this savory version, even though a sweet, boozy bread pudding studded with raisins is one of my all-time favorite desserts. It’s rare that I have leftover bread of any kind, so it felt strange to buy a baguette with the explicit purpose of letting it get stale. Definitely worth it though.

Being a mostly meatless type, I offered to bring a vegetarian entrée to Thanksgiving, letting our marvelous hostess off the hook. While it isn’t even close to vegan or low-calorie, I think I would much prefer this to a Tofurkey. Everyone knows that the sides are the best part of Thanksgiving anyway. And the kale and squash at least gives the illusion of getting in some real vegetables.

My one tip would be to use the sharpest, best cheddar cheese you can find/afford. I skimped on that, and it just wasn’t as good as I know that it could’ve been. Another bonus: this can be made in advance and is probably even best made in advance. I spent nearly a week taking the leftovers for lunch, and it only got better as the flavors melded. Perfect for when your Thanksgiving morning is routinely taken up by running a 5K with your family.

Butternut Squash, Kale, and Cheddar Bread Pudding
source: Ezra Pound Cake

Ingredients

• 2 POUNDS PEELED SEEDED BUTTERNUT SQUASH, CUT INTO 1-INCH CUBES (ABOUT 6 CUPS)
• 3 TABLESPOONS OLIVE OIL, DIVIDED
• KOSHER SALT
• FRESHLY GROUND BLACK PEPPER
• 7 LARGE EGGS
• 2 1/4 CUPS HALF AND HALF
• 6 TABLESPOONS DRY WHITE WINE (OR HARD CIDER)
• 2 TABLESPOONS CHOPPED FRESH THYME (OR 1 TABLESPOON DRIED)
• 1 TABLESPOON CHOPPED FRESH SAGE (OR 1/2 TABLESPOON DRIED)
• 1 TABLESPOON DIJON MUSTARD
• 1 DAY-OLD BAGUETTE (DO NOT REMOVE CRUST), CUT INTO 1-INCH CUBES (ABOUT 8 CUPS)
• 1 CUP CHOPPED SHALLOTS (ABOUT 4 LARGE)
• 2 CLOVES GARLIC, FINELY CHOPPED
• 1/4 TEASPOON CRUSHED RED PEPPER FLAKES (OPTIONAL)
• 2 BUNCHES TUSCAN KALE (ABOUT 1 POUND), RIBS REMOVED, KALE COARSELY CHOPPED (CAN BE SUBSTITUTED WITH SPINACH)`
• 8 OUNCES EXTRA-SHARP CHEDDAR CHEESE, COARSELY GRATED

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place squash and 1 tablespoon oil in a large bowl; sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Spread out squash cubes on a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast until squash is tender, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Set aside.
2. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
3. Whisk eggs in large bowl. Continue whisking as you add half and half, wine, thyme, sage, mustard, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Add baguette cubes to the egg mixture, and gently fold them into the mixture to coat each side. Let the baguette pieces soak 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in large pot over medium heat. Add shallots, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes, and sauté until soft and fragrant, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add kale; cover and cook 2 minutes. Uncover the pot, and stir until kale is wilted but still bright green, about 5 minutes (the kale will still be a little crunchy).
5. Generously butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Using slotted spoon, transfer half of bread from egg mixture to the dish, spreading evenly. Spoon half of kale over the bread layer. Spoon half of squash over the kale layer, and sprinkle it with half of the cheese. Repeat with remaining bread, kale, squash, and cheese. Pour the remaining egg mixture over the bread pudding.
6. Cover bread pudding with foil, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil; bake uncovered until custard is set, about 20 minutes longer.
7. Preheat broiler; broil pudding until cheese browns slightly, about 2 minutes. Cool 5 minutes and serve.

Chinese Sesame Kale

Part of my lack of blogging lately is that I haven't really been doing anything adventurous in the kitchen because I don't have to. Fresh, local, seasonal produce just doesn't require a lot. For example, for Sunday's dinner, I ate roasted kale and a microwaved sweet potato, and it was amazing. With the produce from our CSA and a stockpile of lean proteins (tofu, beans, chicken sausages, etc.), our meals have been pretty simple.

Another summer change to our lifestyle is that we've been having mini-dinner parties on weekdays. We'll have a friend or two over, partially to visit and partially to have someone else help us eat our CSA produce. With the longer, slower days, chatting and lingering on our patio over wine as the fireflies come out doesn't seem quite as indulgent as it does during the rest of the year. It just feels like part of the summer pace. So last night we had a friend, newly moved to Nashville, over for Spicy Asian Marinated Flank Steak, Asian slaw salad, and some of this kale. The recipe for this came from our CSA newsletter from Delvin Farms, and it was a flavorful accompaniment to the rest of the meal.

Chinese Sesame Kale
source: Delvin Farms CSA Newsletter

Ingredients
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch kale (I used Red Russian kale.)
2 teaspoons sesame seed oil
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds (I misread and used 2 tablespoons.)
Salt and pepper, if desired

Preparation
Mince the garlic cloves. Wash kale. Remove and discard the stems from the kale and tear it into bite-size pieces. Save the stems for another use, such as vegetable stock.
Heat the sesame seed oil in the skillet over medium-low heat. Add the minced garlic to the hot oil and sauté for about 20 seconds. Add the kale and water to the garlic and oil, and cover the skillet.
After 1 minute, stir the kale, then re-cover. After 1-2 more minutes, when the kale is wilted, stir in the soy sauce and sesame seeds. If desired, add salt and/or pepper to taste.

Grits & Greens Casserole

People who have bought CSA shares before and joked about the kale weren't playing. My first CSA box arrived with a LOT of leafy greens, including a big bunch of kale. Fortunately, I had starred some recipes for using all of that kale, including this casserole.

Bacon has magical powers. Just a few slices really makes this dish and cuts some of the bitterness of the greens. The grits have just enough cheese in them to seem creamy. And you can prepare this casserole up to a day ahead of time. We ate this with some sliced andouille chicken sausage.

Grits & Greens Casserole
source: Eating Well via A Year in the Kitchen
Yields 6 servings

Ingredients

* 4 slices bacon, chopped (optional)
* 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1 small onion, diced
* 4 cloves garlic, minced
* 2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth, divided
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 16 cups chopped collard greens or kale, stems removed (about 1 large bunch, 1 1/2-2 pounds)
* 2 cups water, plus more as needed
* 1 cup grits (not instant)
* 3/4 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese, divided
* 1/4 cup prepared salsa
* 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat an 8-inch-square baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Place bacon (if using) in a large Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until crispy, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Pour off the bacon fat.
3. Return the pot to medium-low heat; add oil, onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant and starting to brown in spots, 2 to 8 minutes (cooking time will be quicker if you started with bacon). Add 1 cup broth and salt; bring to a boil over high heat. Add collards (or kale); stir until wilted down to about one-third the volume and bright green, 1 to 2 minutes. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender, 18 to 20 minutes. Adjust heat during cooking to maintain a simmer, and add water, 1/4 cup at a time, if the pan seems dry.
4. Meanwhile, bring 2 cups water and the remaining 1 cup broth to a boil in a large saucepan. Pour in grits in a steady stream, whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, whisking often, until thick, about 5 minutes. Combine 1/2 cup cheese, salsa and egg in a small bowl. Remove the grits from the heat and quickly stir in the cheese mixture until combined.
5. Working quickly, spread about half the grits in the prepared baking dish. Top with greens, spreading evenly. Spread the remaining grits over the greens. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese and the reserved bacon (if using).
6. Bake the casserole until hot and bubbling, about 20 minutes. Let stand for about 10 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Info
Per serving: 226 calories; 8 g fat (3 g sat, 2 g mono); 50 mg cholesterol; 31 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 11 g protein; 4 g fiber; 473 mg sodium; 335 mg potassium.