Kale, Mushroom, and Lentil Soup in Spicy Garlic Broth

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As usual, it tends to go back to Anthony Bourdain or Julia Child. In this case both. Bourdain informed me of the ease and utility of making your own stock from your scraps of vegetables and bones, and of keeping the stock around in the freezer, pre-measured in one cup containers. Julia provided extensive notations and descriptions of making the perfect stock out of just about anything. Such a simple thing to make, but when done right, a stock is a delicate, flavorful base from which you will build your recipe.

Thankfully, the stock in this recipe is fast, cheap, and easy.  Many thanks to Laura (and her recipe blog ) for the recommendation and base recipe from which I worked.




This jam is vegan, which I am surprised to write as you are to read, and it is absolutely delicious, which surprised me even more. My dinner guest, one who has tried several of my recipes now, for the first time ever went back for seconds! I found the soup to be hearty (see: old rustic joke from prior posts) and filling without giving me the Itis or the Meat Sweats. So maybe there is something to this whole Vegan Thing. Lentils for protein, mushrooms for texture, kale for vitamins and regularity. As Laura points out, the base in the broth mimics Italian sausage (no, not in the way that vegetarians like to pretend that Tofacon tastes EXACTLY LIKE BACON!), with garlic and fennel and sage, which make for a complex flavor profile in the broth that is never overpowered by the simple flavors of the kale and mushrooms. Do not be dissuaded by use of the word "spicy" in the title. 5 chiles gave me a hint of spiciness, but there was no mouth burn or runny nose here - just a hint of spiciness. If you're a big baby, go with 3 chiles ... do not go with any less, or you will lose the flavor entirely.



This is incredibly light fare. Get yourself some wine and some crusty bread to counteract any potential health benefits!

Tips for success:

  • Give yourself ample time to concentrate the stock. Once you have all the flavors in the liquid, you reduce the amount of liquid, thus making the flavors stronger. I went with 40 minutes of simmering the flavors of the garlic et al, covered, then 20 minutes of a boil uncovered to cook the lentils and concentrate the flavors of the stock. This ensures a fully flavored broth that holds up when you cook the liquids out of the kale and mushrooms.
  • I substituted lentils for the millet in the original recipe (look, I am not making fun of vegetarians when I say that they eat bird food - look up millet!). You could easily substitute in beans. Also, don't tell the vegans, but you could totally just add some cooked sausage right at the end and really jazz this thing up!
  • Do not be afraid of the amount of kale and mushrooms you're adding to the broth! Not only will they reduce as they wilt, but they will also release their liquids into the broth, increasing the volume of liquid. Just trust me on this one.
  • After you have removed the garlic cloves from the stock, follow Laura's advice and eat them with just a touch of salt. Mellowed garlic paste!
  • Pro Tip: Have friends who live in Amsterdam come visit you to cook a giant Indian Food feast. This will ensure that your pantry is already stocked with lentils and dried chiles when you want to cook this soup.
Ingredients:



Broth
  • 2 heads of garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 2 sprigs of fresh sage
  • 5 dried chile peppers
  • 2 Tbs fennel seeds, preferably in a spice bag or spice ball.
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1.5 qts water
Soup
  • 1.5 Qts Spicy Garlic Broth
  • 1 bunch of fresh kale, trimmed and cut into 3-4 pieces per leaf
  • 7 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced into strips (4 strips per cap)
  • 1 cup lentils
To Prepare:
  1. In a large stockpot, add all of your broth ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce your heat to simmer. Cover and simmer the liquid for 40 minutes.
  2. Take the pot off of the heat. Remove the stock ingredients to a separate bowl. Add your lentils to the stock, and bring to a boil. Continue to boil the stock over a medium heat to concentrate the broth and cook the lentils.

  3. After 20 minutes, add your kale to the pot. You may need to do this in batches. Cook until all of the kale has wilted and reduced. The finished kale should be entirely limp.
  4. Add your mushrooms, and cook at a low simmer for 5-10 minutes more. The mushrooms should reduce in size by almost half.

  5. Ladle into a pretty blue bowl and serve with a glass of dry white wine and a crusty bread for dipping.


Bon appetit!

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