Potato Kale Chowder

I know that in a lot of areas of the country the weather is still pretty warm, but by October it is getting very chilly where we live. I love making soup in the cold months. Some of our favorites require hours of cooking, but I like to have a few recipes that will be done a lot faster. Start to finish, this soup can be ready in about an hour and 20 minutes or so and a good part of that time is un-tended simmering. The ingredients are all fresh and uncomplicated and it is very simple to make – a combination that you just can’t beat.

The line-up:6 ounces thick sliced bacon, chopped
2 large stalks celery, coarsely chopped
1 large onion, cut into thin strips
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 & 1/2 quarts chicken stock or broth
5 – 6 large kale leaves, stems removed, chopped
2 large or 3 medium red potatoes
2 tablespoons constarch, mixed with 3 tablespoon water [approximately]
1 % 1/2 cups 2% milk
1/2 cup half and half
kosher salt
freshly cracked pepper

Cook the bacon in a heavy 5 quart dutch oven, until crisp. Remove to a bowl and set aside. Drain all but 3 tablespoons of the bacon drippings.Saute the celery and onion in the bacon drippings, over medium heat until they start to become translucent – about 5 minutes.Add the chopped garlic and cook another minute, until it becomes fragrantAdd the chicken stock or broth and simmer, covered for about 10 minutes. You can use the store bought stuff, or make your own. My daughter Ellyn posted a recipe for making your own stock last week – you can check that out here. The soup is going to need some salt at some point – how much depends largely on what stock or broth you use and how salty it is. I don’t salt the celery and onions because of using the bacon drippings, but you want to taste the soup periodically and add a bit of salt and some pepper as needed. Do keep in mind that the bacon is going back in though, so don’t get too much in there.While that is cooking, prepare the kale. If you have never cooked with kale before, it may be an intimidating sight in the store, but it’s very easy. It is so good for you and adds a very special quality to a soup. It is a favorite ingredient of mine, so you can bet you will see more recipes using it over the winter. You do have to wash it well, but the kale in stores now is usually very clean. In one of the restaurants I have worked in, one of my morning jobs was to wash pounds and pounds of kale and spinach which were always filthy – not fun. This is much easier. You strip off the leafy part by sliding your knife down the side of the stalks.Once you have it all in a pile – chop through it one way and then the other until the pieces are about 1/2 inch or so. Bigger, smaller – whatever you like will work just fine. Add that to the pot and stir.Meanwhile, cut the potatoes into thick slices and then cut each slice into quartersAdd those, stir, cover and simmer on medium heat for about 20 minutes. When the potatoes are tender, add the bacon and then mix up the slurry of cornstarch and water, stirring constantly as you add it to the soup to thicken it. You can easily double the amount of the slurry if you prefer a thicker, heartier soup. Then add the dairy [you can adjust that to your preference – it can be all milk or all half and half or any combination of the two. It probably won’t curdle, but I don’t like to take a chance, so I always temper it at least a little by stirring in some of the hot soup, before adding it all in. Then, you just heat it through. I do like to hold it at a very low simmer for a few minutes to really blend the flavors, stirring often. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.A fast and satisfying fall dinner!Or a an equally fast lunch