Homemade Tomato Soup

Like milk and cookies, grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup go perfectly together. For me it's the slight tartness and sweetness of the soup that cuts the richness of the ooey-gooey cheese and buttery bread oh-so nicely.

I'm not a huge fan of the canned tomato soups I've tried though. They barely taste like real tomatoes and can be sickly sweet. This is my second attempt at a homemade version. I think it's definitely worth the effort. Once you try it, you really can't go back to canned.

Homemade Tomato Soup

• 2 1/2 lbs organic tomatoes, try an assortment -roma, cherry, heirloom, vine; cut into large uniform pieces
• 1 medium onion, cut into big chunks
• 2 tsp chopped garlic
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups chicken stock/broth
• pinch of sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F

Line a large roasting pan with parchment paper. Add the tomatoes, onion and garlic. Drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with a 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Toss gently with your hands until all the veggies are evenly coated with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for about 40 minutes. The tomatoes and onions should be starting to brown and blister. Let cool for a few minutes.

Pour the roasted veggies with all of the juices and a cup of the chicken stock right into a large stainless steel pot. Use an immersion hand blender to blend the veggies until almost smooth, adding more chicken broth to thin the soup out until the consistency is to your liking. The key is to tilt the pot to the side in order to get the liquid high enough to blend without everything splattering! Heat over medium-high heat until it comes to a low boil. Then turn down the heat and simmer for about five minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add a pinch of sugar if it needs a touch more sweetness. Serve hot.


*If you don't have an immersion hand blender, a large food processor or blender works just fine. Pour the roasted veggies with all of the juices and a cup of the chicken stock into a large food processor and pulse until almost smooth. Add more chicken broth to thin the soup out until the consistency is to your liking. Then transfer everything to a pot and heat over medium-high heat until it comes to a low boil. Then turn down the heat and simmer for about five minutes, stirring occasionally. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

French Onion Soup

As you read in my last post, I am exploring cuisines from around the world. For the next few weeks I will be trying my hand at French. Since this isn't "Julie & Julia" and I'm not cooking my way through an entire book, I thought I'd pick some of the more well known dishes to make.

So for my second act, I chose French Onion Soup. There were so many recipes available. But to be honest, I decided on a recipe by Tyler Florence because his incorporated red wine and I had half a bottle to use up. Luckily, the soup turned out delicious and not at all difficult to make.

French Onion Soup

Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 4 onions, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup red wine, about 1/2 bottle
• 3 heaping tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 quarts beef broth
• 1 baguette, sliced
• 1/2 pound grated Gruyere

Directions

Melt the stick of butter in a large pot over medium heat.

Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and salt and pepper and cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25-30 minutes.

Add the wine, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the wine has evaporated and the onions are dry, about 5 minutes (more like 7 minutes). Discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Dust the onions with the flour and give them a stir. Turn the heat down to medium low so the flour doesn't burn, and cook for 10 minutes (more like 7 minutes) to cook out the raw flour taste. Now add the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
When you're ready to eat, preheat the broiler. Arrange the baguette slices on a baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle the slices with the Gruyere and broil until bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
Ladle the soup in bowls and float several of the Gruyere croutons on top.
Alternative method: Ladle the soup into bowls, top each with 2 slices of bread and top with cheese. Put the bowls into the oven to toast the bread and melt the cheese.

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Chowda Head...

My hubby is from New England. He grew up just outside of the Boston area. One of my favorite things to do when I go back with him is to eat as much clam chowder as possible. I usually try to have at least one a day! A good, classic clam chowder is probably my favorite but there are few chowders I've met that I didn't like. One day I would love to go to a chowder cook-off. I believe there is a big one in Newport, Rhode Island.

Today I set out to make a chowder that could use up the two chicken breasts halves in my fridge. I went online to search for a 'chicken and corn chowder'. None of the recipes I found jumped out at me. So I messed around a little and came up with a pretty fantastic chowder of my own. 

Chicken and Corn Chowda 

• 2 large boneless/skinless chicken breasts, rinsed in cold water and dried well with paper towels 
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 2 celery stalks, chopped fine
• 1 carrot, chopped fine
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic
• 1 to 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 6 cups organic chicken broth
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 2 medium russet potatoes (about 3 cups), peeled and diced into 1/2 inch pieces
• 4 cups sweet corn kernels, drained
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle olive oil over them and rub with your fingers to evenly coat. Generously sprinkle salt and pepper on top of each breast.

When the oven reaches 400 degrees, put the chicken in and cook for about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Heat the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and thyme and cook until the vegetables are good and soft, about 5-7 minutes. You don't want them to brown. Sprinkle in the flour and stir into the veggies. Cook for another minute. Pour in the chicken stock and the potatoes and bring to a boil, cook for 8 minutes uncovered. Stirring occasionally. Add the whipping cream, bring to a boil and cook for about 10 more minutes.

Stirring occasionally and skim off any unsightly foam that collects on top.

Cut chicken breasts into 1/2 inch cubes.

Add the corn kernels and chicken to the soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste (start with no more than 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and go from there) and simmer for 2 more minutes. Stir in the parsley. Serve in bowls with some hot, crusty bread.

*If making ahead of time, do everything according to recipe except add the chicken only when about ready to serve. 

For vegetarians, leave out the chicken and go with a vegetable broth. 

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Chicken soup for the family's soul...

You may have noticed that I do a lot of the same recipes but tweak them a bit to make something new. It's like having the perfect little black dress. You wear it all the time but try to change it up with different accessories, jewelry or shoes.

Roast chicken and the now mandatory chicken noodle soup that follows are some of my family's favorites. The soup is also a great way for me to get rid of the all the small portions of leftover veggies from dinners past.

Here's what I did this time around...

After we'd eaten a good amount of the 5 1/2 pound bird the other night, I immediately threw the entire remains of the roast, including the cavity stuffings and the lemon and onions from the sauce into a large pot. I covered everything with a quart of good chicken stock and four cups of water. I also threw in some baby carrots and let it simmer on the stove loosely covered with a lid for about 1 1/2 hours. Once it cooled, I popped it into the fridge before I went to bed. Next day I removed most of the solidified chicken fat that was sitting on top, a very easy way to make the soup lower in fat. Then I put the pot back onto the stove and start heating it back up.

Once it was hot but not boiling, I placed a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl and separated the broth from the solids.

I picked out all the good chicken pieces and tossed everything else in the trash. I was left with nice pieces of chicken meat and a rich, golden broth.

A half hour before dinner time, I put the broth back into the pot along with some chopped baby carrots and heated it up on the stove top on high. Once it came to a boil, I turned down the heat to a low simmer and let it cook for 4 minutes. I then added my little tomatoes and broke spaghetti noodles into the simmering broth and cooked it all for ten minutes (always taste a piece to make sure the pasta is done but still al dente).  I then added the chicken meat, some leftover green beans (cooked) and fingerling potatoes (cooked) that I cut into bite-size pieces. The soup seemed low in broth so I added another cup of water. It all cooked for a couple more minutes and I finished it off with a good sprinkling of kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

The four of us ate it all up in no time. Our bellies were warm and happy. Chicken soup really does seem good for the soul!


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Shortcut Bouillabaisse...

A couple days ago, it was rainy and chilly in L.A.. I think I brought the weather back with me from New York. The perfect kind of weather for hot, steaming comfort food.

I was flipping through Braises and Stews: Everyday Slow Cooked Recipes, a beautiful cookbook I have by Tori Ritchie. The "Shortcut Bouillabaisse" really stood out to me. Shortcut being the magic word!

It ended up being really easy to make but it tastes like you cooked it on the stove all day. The fish I used was orange roughy. I also threw in a handful of shrimp that I had in the fridge and a tablespoon of chopped garlic . Not sure why salt and pepper aren't ingredients in the original recipe but I added it. The mayonnaise dollop made all the difference, giving it the richness and spice it needed. I'll definitely be making this again.

Shortcut Bouillabaisse
Serves 4

• 1 medium-size leek
• 1 fennel bulb
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 strips orange zest
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 3 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds halibut, cod or rockfish fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 8 diagonal slices baguette, about 1/4-inch thick
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 clove garlic, pressed
• Pinch of cayenne pepper

Cut the root end and green tops off the leek.

Slice the white part of the leek in half lengthwise, then rinse the layers well.

Slice the leek thinly crosswise.

Cut the green tops off the fennel bulb, then cut the bulb in half lengthwise. Cut out the core,

then slice each half thinly crosswise, reserving about 1/4 cup of the feathery leaves.

Put the thyme, zest and reserved fennel leaves in a piece of doubled cheesecloth

and tie it to make a bouquet garni.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 10- to 12-inch saute pan or frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the leek and fennel slices; cook, stirring, until softened, for about 5 minutes. Crumble in the saffron and pour in the wine, letting it boil for about 1 minute.

Add the broth and let come to a boil. Add the bouquet garni, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Place the fish in the pan, cover again and cook until the fish is opaque, for about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the broiler. Place the bread on a baking sheet and toast under the broiler until golden on both sides; brush with the remaining oil. In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, garlic and cayenne. Ladle the bouillabaisse into shallow bowls and top with a spoonful of spiced mayonnaise. Angle 2 slices of toasted bread in each bowl and serve.


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Ham it up...

Do you have more ham left over from Easter than you're comfortable with? You could make ham sandwiches for days of course. Or try making a split pea or lentil soup and add some of the ham to that.

I was lucky enough to be sent home from my in-laws' house last night with a nice chunk of ham. I've never made a split pea soup from scratch before, I had to find a good recipe. The Barefoot Contessa never lets me down so I went with hers.

I followed the directions and then added my 1 1/2 cups of diced ham when I added the second half of peas. You can leave it vegetarian of course, it's hearty and delicious either way. I would also start with only 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. The full teaspoon may be a little strong for some people, especially kids.

The Contessa did not let me down. One of the best I've ever tasted. The perfect amount of dissolved pea to thicken the soup as well as more al dente pieces, giving it texture. A steaming bowl of the split pea with a big hunk of warm, crusty bread made the perfect dinner.

Parker's Split Pea Soup

1999, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook, All Rights Reserved
Serves: 5 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped yellow onions
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/8 cup good olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups medium-diced carrots (3 to 4 carrots)
• 1 cup medium-diced red boiling potatoes, unpeeled (3 small)
• 1 pound dried split green peas
• 8 cups chicken stock or water

Directions

In a 4-quart stockpot on medium heat, saute the onions and garlic with the olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper until the onions are translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the carrots, potatoes, 1/2 pound of split peas, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 40 minutes. Skim off the foam while cooking. Add the remaining split peas and continue to simmer for another 40 minutes, or until all the peas are soft. Stir frequently to keep the solids from burning on the bottom. Taste for salt and pepper. Serve hot.

The honeymoon ain't over...

The other night we enjoyed what is rightfully known as "engagement chicken". After eating a good portion of it, I threw the entire remnants of the dish, cavity stuffings and all, into a large pot. I also added some of the roasted lemons and onions from the gravy (but not the actual gravy liquid). I then poured 4 cups of low sodium organic chicken stock and one cup of water into the pot and started heating it up on the stove. Once it started to boil, I turned down the heat to a low simmer and cooked it slightly uncovered for 45 minutes. I let it cool, covered it and kept it in the fridge until I was ready to use it.

Well tonight was the night. I had nothing to make for dinner. Continuing on the theme of what to do with leftovers, I busted out the pot of boiled down "engagement chicken" leftovers. I heated it back up on the stove slightly to release all the liquids from the solids. I put a strainer over a large bowl and dumped all of the contents of the pot into the strainer. The delicious broth is all that got through into the bowl. I tried to skim a lot of the fat off the surface. Then I went through the stuff left in the strainer.

I pulled out as many good pieces of chicken as I could find and set it aside in a bowl, leaving the fatty parts behind. I disposed of the rest that was in the strainer and poured the broth (about 4 to 5 cups) back into a now empty pot (feel free to add more canned chicken broth or water if there is too little liquid) and heated it up on the stove.

I added 4 medium carrots and 3 celery stalks, all sliced 1/4 inch thick. Once the broth started to boil, I turned down the heat to a low simmer and cooked it for 7 minutes. Next I added about 1/2 lb of spaghetti noodles that I broke into 2 inch pieces by hand and cooked for 7 more minutes. Finally I added my chicken and let it all cook for 2 more minutes. I turned off the heat and threw in a tablespoon of chopped cilantro and seasoned to taste with salt and pepper.

After eating and loving tonight's chicken soup, I vowed never to make "engagement chicken" again without turning the leftovers into this soup. What a waste that would be! The chicken, lemon, garlic, thyme and onions all melded together into one divine broth. It was rich, flavorful and dark gold in color. There was even a tiny bit of bitterness from the lemons that was quite delightful. You get two great meals for the price of one chicken!

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Souped-up...

When I think of good chicken soup, I imagine making the stock from chicken bones from last night's roast, carrots, celery and onion. It would simmer on the stove all day until a golden broth was created. I have done this a few times and the idea of it is very charming but to tell you the truth, I don't really have the time these days.

Sometimes I will make a "Cliffs Notes" version of homemade chicken soup. I use a store-bought organic chicken broth. I roast boneless and skinless chicken breasts, keeping the soup very low fat. As far as veggies go, I like carrots in mine but you can add whatever you prefer. My kids love the noodles so I tend to add a lot. You can always make less of course. The whole process takes about a half hour.

Easy Chicken Noodle Soup

• 1 small onion or large shallot 
• 2 small bay leaves or 1 large
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 5 cups of organic low-sodium chicken broth
• 4 small carrots or 2 large, cut into 1/2 inch bite-size pieces
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups of small pasta (small shells, orzo, elbow macaroni, etc.)
• 2 boneless/skinless chicken breasts, rinsed in cold water and dried well with paper towels
• olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp minced fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Place chicken breasts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle olive oil over them and rub with your fingers to evenly coat. Generously sprinkle salt and pepper on top of each breast. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat.

Add onion, bay leaves and thyme. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

When the oven reaches 400 degrees, put the chicken in and cook for 20 minutes.

Add the broth and carrots to the pot. When it comes to a boil, turn down heat to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.

Next add the pasta and cook for as many minutes as the package recommends for al dente. The small shells I used took 7 minutes.

When the chicken is done, let it rest for at least 5 minutes outside of the oven before handling it. Then cut into cubes, whatever size you prefer. I like mine on the larger side. Put the chicken, juices and all, into the soup pot and cook everything for 1 minute more (or longer if your chicken still looks pink in the center). Turn off the heat. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Add the parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Start with no more than 1/2 a teaspoon of salt and build from there if necessary. Serve hot.

You like tomato and I like tomahto...

What to do with too many tomatoes? My mind immediately went to cheese. "Excuse me?" you say. I am speaking of grilled cheese sandwiches. The ooey-gooey delights that we've loved since we were kids. And grilled cheeses go perfectly with tomato soup. See how my mind works? So I set off on a tomato soup making adventure.

I decided to roast tomatoes in the oven first to give it more depth in flavor. I also threw onions and garlic onto the baking sheet with the tomatoes. If the soup ended up tasting as good as the roasting vegetables smelled, then it was going to be phenomenal.

The soup did turn out even better than I had anticipated. So fresh and much better than the canned variety.

The grilled cheese sandwiches were made with Havarti and Gruyere. I chose these cheeses for their milder tastes and excellent melting ability. Oh, and I named the sandwich in honor of my childhood friend, Tammy, whom I haven't seen in decades. She is a cheese enthusiast and jokingly said that I should do a recipe involving cheese and name it after her. Those of you that read my post Crustacean Sensation may recall Tammy's mom as the first person to introduce me to mac and cheese. Well, I found out that Tammy is a Foodism For the Busy Mom reader and this was AFTER I wrote about her in my blog. We have since reconnected through Facebook. Pretty cool huh? So there you go Tam, your very own "Tam-wich"!

Roasted Tomato Soup

6 large Roma tomatoes; halved, stem area trimmed off
1 medium onion; outer skin and layer removed, cut into medium sized chunks
1 head of garlic, wrapped in foil
Olive oil
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
4 large fresh basil leaves, torn into smaller pieces
1/2 tsp sugar
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place your tomatoes, onions and garlic on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Lightly drizzle olive oil over everything (except the garlic) and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour. Onions should just start to brown.

Start heating up the chicken broth in a medium pot. Add your roasted veggies.

Slice the top off of the garlic head and squeeze the bottom of the bulb, the softened cloves should just come out. You only want to put the cloves into the pot, discard the rest of the skin.

Let it all come to a boil and turn down the heat to a simmer. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes.

Add the basil and sugar to the pot. Use a hand blender to puree the soup until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste (start with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and build from there if necessary).

If the tip of the blender is not submerged fully in liquid, tilt the pot to the side until it is. If you blend it when the liquid is too shallow, you will have splatter everywhere. Also don't hand blend in a non-stick pot. You may ruin it's surface. Just transfer it to a metal bowl first.

If you don't have a hand blender, let the soup cool for a bit and then puree it in a food processor or blender in batches.

You can make this in advance and just reheat when you are ready to serve.

Grilled Cheese Tam-wich

Good bread, sliced
Havarti cheese, sliced thin
Gruyere cheese, sliced thin
Salted butter

Heat up a pan on medium to medium-low heat.

Place one layer of Havarti and one layer of Gruyere onto a piece of the bread. Place another piece of bread on top and butter the outside of that piece. (I'm sure you all know how to make grilled cheese sandwiches, just covering my bases.)

When your pan is heated up, add a pat of butter and let it melt. Place your sandwich/es in the pan and cook slowly so the cheese has time to melt. Keep peeking at the bottom for a nice golden brown color. When you've achieved it, flip it over carefully. Cook the other side until golden brown as well. Serve with a bowl of the hot tomato soup!

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Soup's on...

I really enjoy cauliflower but the only way I've ever served it is roasted. Tonight I made a cauliflower soup. I busted out some of my frozen truffle butter to make it a bit more decadent. The truffle essence wasn't that strong in the end  but I do think it added some depth. I debated whether or not to use cream in the soup but I wanted to keep it light and healthy. It's a great soup if you're into simple, natural flavors. 
Summary: the adults enjoyed it, my almost 2-year-old ate it up and my almost 4-year-old gagged while eating it. 

Cauliflower Soup

• 2-3 tablespoons truffle or regular butter
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 large cauliflower; cleaned, trimmed, using just the florets cut into medium sized pieces
• 32 oz (4 cups) good chicken broth

*Truffle butter is available at many specialty foods stores, some supermarkets or online.

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until tender, about 7 minutes.

Add cauliflower and sauté for 3 more minutes. Add broth. When it comes to a boil, turn down to a low simmer and cover. Cook until cauliflower is tender, stirring a couple times. About 25 minutes.

Turn off the heat. If you have a stick hand blender, you can purée the soup right in the pot until smooth and then bring back to a simmer. If not then transfer soup to a blender or food processor in batches and purée until smooth. Return soup to pot and bring to a simmer. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Ladle soup into bowls. Serve hot with garlic toast or crusty bread. Next time I will to try it with a dollop of crème fraiche and chopped chives on top or a drizzling of truffle oil.


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Kale to the chief (with guest blogger...Foodism Hubby)...

My wife needed a break from the kitchen and the blog for at least one night, so, I, her ‘hubby’, am taking over. What kind of husband would I be if I didn’t occasionally cook a meal or two for my family? Truthfully, before she and I met, I used to be fairly adept in the kitchen, especially when compared to the rest of my bachelor friends. Alas, she is much better in the kitchen, and as you’ve read, enjoys cooking a heck of a lot, so she’s taken the head chef job in our house. But not tonight! Tonight, I have seized the golden ladle, tied on the silk apron and am manning the burners to deliver a dish I grew up with, Portuguese Kale Soup!

Here’s a little back story on me and the soup. A majority of my family background is rooted in Portugal, but sadly, that heritage is pretty alien to me. I did grow up with grandparents who spoke the language and great-grandparents who were born in Madeira and hardly ever spoke English at all. Sundays would usually consist of our family leaving church and heading to my great-grandmother’s kitchen to sample the tasty dishes still sitting in pots on her stove. I remember being fascinated with the idea she would cook so much and, like a homing beacon, it would attract all members of the family to her house. Her kitchen was a magnet for hungry aunts, uncles and cousins. Crowds gathered, plates were distributed and loud, festive conversations in Portuguese would ensue. Like most kids, I wasn’t into trying different things and boy did a lot of her meals look “different”. Apparently I missed out on a lot of tasty Portuguese dishes. Except for her Portuguese Kale Soup. That one not only looked okay for me to try, but I enjoyed bowl after bowl each time it was placed in front of me. It’s a great hearty soup for cold New England winter Sundays like the ones where we gathered at Va-voa’s house. And I think you’ll enjoy it whenever and wherever you are.

Now, I don’t have my great-grandmother’s recipe, nor do I have the one my mother made which was even better, (Hi, Mom), but I’ve been able to pull together a decent soup. Part of it is from internet searches, family memories and a little bit of personal taste. Mom says she would include beef in her soup, which I excluded, mainly because I felt like the Portuguese linguica was meat enough. Most recipes would tell you to use chorizo, but as there are many Mexican chorizo brands out there, I felt the Portuguese linguica was a little more, well, Portuguese.     

Portuguese Kale Soup 

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 medium white waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes
  
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 5 tsp garlic, chopped
• 2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
• 1 pound kale, coarsely chopped
• salt and pepper
• 1 (15-ounce) can cannelini beans (white kidney) , drained and rinsed
• 1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
• 14 oz Portuguese linguica (or chorizo, or turkey kielbasa), casing removed, halved and sliced
  
• 1 quart (4 cups) low-sodium chicken broth
  

Directions

Heat oil in a deep pot over medium high heat. Add potatoes and onions, cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add garlic, bay leaves, and kale to the pot. Cover pot and wilt greens 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add beans, tomatoes, linguica and broth to the pot and bring soup to a full boil. Reduce heat back to medium and cook  about 10 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.