This soup is inspired by colcannon, a traditional Irish dish of mashed potatoes and cabbage or kale. Buttery Yukon golds are medium-starch potatoes, which makes them particularly versatile. You could use russets or fingerlings instead. Leeks, too, have a wonderfully complex flavor and are a traditional component in colcannon. If you can’t find them, sub two yellow onions in the recipe. Yellow onions have more intricate flavor than white onions (and they tend to be cheaper). Roasting the kale enhances its flavor and yields a crunchy texture that makes it a pretty garnish for the soup. Use any variety of kale you find, from curly to dinosaur (also known as lacinato).
Ingredients
- Soup:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 leeks, thinly sliced (white portion only)
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 3-1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Kale:
- 1 (5-ounce) bunch kale, rinsed, trimmed, and coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Heat the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks, onion, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook 3 minutes or until tender (do not brown). Add potatoes and broth; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until potato is tender. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup (or transfer the soup to a food processor or blender). Stir in cream, salt and pepper (to taste). Heat soup until hot.
Toss kale with oil, salt and pepper. Spread kale on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until kale is crispy and slightly browned on the edges, stirring every 5 minutes.
Ladle soup into 6 bowls; garnish evenly with roasted kale.
http://nourishnetwork.com/2010/02/26/colcannon-soup/