Today is definitely a soup day and from the looks of it, it will be a pretty soupy weekend too. Luckily we’ve all got some luscious heads of kale and a bunch of snappy mint to keep us company.
Stale Kale Bread and White Bean Soup
This is a pretty simple soup, lovely for a crowd or just one, and you can adjust all of the ingredients to your liking.
2 tbs. olive oil
2 carrots chopped, 3 celery stalks chopped, 1 onion chopped, 4 garlic cloves chopped
1 handful each curly blue kale and lacinato kale, stripped from stems and torn into pieces
5-6 cups chicken stock
1 TKoz. can whole tomatoes and 1 TKoz. can cannellini beans
1 cup stale bread diced (1 inch)
2 bay leaves, 8 basil leaves julienned, 1 tps. salt, 1/2 tsp. pepper,
finely chopped chives and pecorino romano for garnish
Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium high heat. Saute carrots, celery, onion and garlic until soft, about 7 minutes. Add kale, chicken stock, tomatoes and beans with their liquids, bread, herbs and spices. Simmer mixture 20-25 minutes, adding more water if necessary. Ladle out a bowl and garnish with chives and grated cheese.
Mint and Lemon Mojitos
Mojitos and soup might not be an obvious pairing, but when you’re pining for summer weather while trying to stay dry, it works pretty damn well.
10 mint leaves, 1 tsp. sugar, 2 slices of lemon with rind already zested (keep zest)
1 1/2 oz. white rum, gin or vodka
soda water and cracked ice
Muddle mint, sugar, one lemon slice and half of lemon zest together in the bottom of a tall glass. Add the ice and pour over the spirits and couple of splashes of soda water. Swizzle the ice and liquids without mussing up the mint and lemon too much. Squeeze the second lemon over top and add the rest of the zest to garnish.
Forget umbrellas and rain boots. Think soup and gin.
