serves 4 | start to finish: 1 hour
So many recipes call for kale leaves, but what about the stems? They must be good for something. When a friend mentioned she had made cream of kale stem soup, we got curious. The method is similar to a cream of broccoli or asparagus, but uses kale steams instead (you can use a mix of broccoli stems and kale stems, for a milder flavor). This soup works best with stems from Red Russian, Siberian, or curly kale varieties that are thicker and juicer (you can sneak a few Lacinato/Dino kale stems in, but make sure they make up less than 1/4 of the full amount). This soup uses a lot of stems—store them in a bag in the freezer until you collect enough. This is lovely with whole-wheat croutons, or sliced bread and sharp cheese.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
3 cloves garlic, peeled but left whole
2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 2 cups)
1 large carrot, diced (1 cup)
8 cups kale stems (mostly Red Russian or curly varieties), cut in one-inch pieces
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
6 fresh oregano leaves, or 1/4 teaspoon dried
1/2 cup heavy cream
one pinch nutmeg, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon paprika
salt and pepper to taste
In a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot, melt the butter and sauté the onion for ten minutes over medium high heat. Add the potatoes, carrots and garlic cloves, stir to coat in butter and turn the heat to medium. Continue sautéing another two minutes before adding the kale stems. Stir again and sauté another three minutes.
Add the stock, raise the heat until the soup mixture comes to a boil, then turn to medium. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, until the kale stems are completely soft and tender. Remove mixture from the heat and use a standing blender to puree the soup in small batches (this is not a job for an immersion stick blender).
You may want to strain the blended soup through a mesh sieve for a smoother texture. Return to the pot and add the cream. Stir to incorporate, adding the nutmeg, paprika, salt and pepper. Warm the soup again just prior to serving, making sure not to boil.