Sausage & Kale Soup

I had almost given up on this blog, but now that we've started getting a farm share from a local farm, we have lots of organic veggies that need to be cooked, and preferably cheaply!

This soup is a great way to use up the kale that we've been getting in our farm share. It's good for you, and it's cheap! The kale adds a nice peppery flavor despite looking like seaweed.

1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 lb spicy sausage (such as chorizo), sliced thinly (about 4 sausages)
6 cups water or vegetable stock
1 bunch kale, shredded with scissors
4 potatoes, sliced thinly
salt & pepper (to taste)
olive oil

1. In a large pot, saute onion in olive oil until lightly browned. Add garlic and saute a minute more. Add potatoes and saute until potatoes are softened. Add water, season with salt & peeper and bring to a boil.

2. In a separate frying pan, cook sausage slices until browned. Drain and set aside.

3. With a masher or immersion blender, smoosh up potatoes in the soup, as desired.

4. Add sausage and let simmer for about 20 minutes more.

5. Just before serving, add kale and let cook for another 5 minutes.

Bubble & Squeak Cakes

(picture taken before frying)

These are traditional English food. Basically it's a way to use up leftover cabbage & potatoes. Though you may think that after eating a bunch of cabbage, the name "bubble and squeak" might refer to your stomach, it really refers to the cooking process: boiling water (bubble) & frying (squeak).

1lb potatoes
1 head cabbage, shredded
2 carrots, diced
1 onion, diced
2-3 cloves garlic
1 egg
butter
salt & pepper
mixed herbs (whatever you have on hand)
flour
oil for frying

1. Wash potatoes, chop into big chunks and boil to soften.
2. While potatoes are boiling, blanch shredded cabbage & diced carrots for 3 minutes in boiling water.
2. Fry diced onion and chopped garlic in butter.
3. Mash potatoes, add fried onions & garlic, cabbage, carrots.
4. Add 1 egg, slightly beaten.
5. Season with salt & pepper and mixed herbs.
6. Form into patties, about hamburger size, 1 inch thick. Dredge in flour to coat. Refrigerate for 1 hour (optional).
7. Fry in oil, about 3-4 minutes each side.