I am thankful that our family is together most nights for dinner, but some evenings there’s just no getting around the fact that one or more of us will be coming or going during supper hour. Sports practices, school meetings, and the occasional late work night mean that every now and then I need to prepare something that can accommodate and nourish our family streaming in and eating in shifts. It’s also important that it be hearty so that it fills them up, and bonus points for beauty—this soup is all of that. It can stay on the stove for the evening so everyone can grab a bowl as they pass through. Sometimes I leave the kale out and stir it into individual bowls, or you can just stir a handful into the pot each time you serve more. From the first person who eats to the last, everyone always loves this soup.
| PREP: 10 minutes | COOK: about 1 hour | COOL: none |
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
One 14-ounce package smoked sausage, such as Hillshire Farm, cut into ½-inch-thick slices
8 tablespoons (1 stick) salted butter
1 large white onion, cut into ½-inch dice
1 pound red new potatoes, cut into ½-inch dice
4 celery stalks, cut into ½-inch dice
2 carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
¼ cup all-purpose flour
Two 32-ounce boxes vegetable or chicken broth or 8 cups Homemade Chicken Broth
Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound baby kale (about 16 cups)
1. In a large soup pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the sausage and fry, stirring occasionally, until browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon or tongs to transfer the sausage to a medium bowl and set aside.
2. Add the butter to the pot and melt over medium heat. Add the onion, potatoes, celery, and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables are slightly softened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
3. Add the broth, sausage, salt to taste, and the pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender and the flavors are combined, about 30 minutes.
4. Stir in the kale and simmer until wilted, about 5 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls. Serve hot.
5. The soup is best served soon after the kale is added. Store leftovers in a covered container for up to 2 days.
Makes 8 to 10 servings