Spicy Sausage, Potato & Kale Soup

I just so happened to be working last week on the lucky day that my colleague brought this soup in to work, with enough to share! Seriously, this is THE BEST soup I've had this year. Last year I was crazy about Hungarian mushroom soup, and this year I am crazy about this recipe. Bonkers. It's incredible, especially if you are a fan of kale. Kale has been my #1 favorite vegetable for some time, and I don't see that changing.

The best news: thirty minutes. That's how long it takes to make it, if you short cut and buy chicken broth and a bag of ready cleaned and stemmed kale. Subtract more time if you buy frozen diced onions. This afternoon I started from scratch, and enjoyed the time chopping onions, garlic, kale, and potatoes while listening to Sam Smith radio on spotify.  I'm feeling generous, so I'll let you in on a little secret. Roasted garlic triscuits are my new kryptonite, and are perfect with this recipe! Of course one can never go wrong with a crunchy baguette either. 

Spicy Sausage, Potato & Kale Soup
from The Candid Appetite

 - 1 pound spicy italian sausage (use regular or mild for a less spicy version)
 - 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
 - 1 large onion, chopped
 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
 - 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
 - 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper, plus more to taste
 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
 - 2 large bunches of kale, stemmed and chopped, about 4 overflowing handfuls
 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
 - 4 medium or 2 large russet baking potatoes, sliced
 - 8 cups chicken broth or stock, 2 boxes
 - 1/2 cup heavy cream (can substitute milk)

1. Heat a large heavy-duty pot over medium-high heat. Once the pot has heated through, add the sausage, which you removed from the casing. Using a wooden spoon, begin to break up the sausage and allow it to cook, stirring occasionally, until it has fully browned. Remove the crisped sausage from the pot and transfer it to a plate or bowl. Set aside.
2. Lower the heat to medium, add the butter or oil and throw in the onions and garlic. Stir, scraping down the bottom of the pot picking up the browned bits of sausage with the back of a wooden spoon, and cook until soft and translucent about 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes, if using. Continue to sauté until the onions have caramelized. Add the chopped kale in batches, allowing it to wilt down as it cooks. It might seem like a lot of kale but it will cook down, just like spinach! Add the nutmeg and stir. Cook the kale for another 3 minutes until it has turned bright green and completely wilted down. Throw in the sliced potatoes and cooked sausage.
3. Pour in the chicken stock or broth and bring it up to a boil. Lower the heat and allow the soup to simmer until the potatoes are cooked tender and soft. Taste the soup for seasoning, at this point you may add more salt, pepper or red pepper flakes, if desired. Once the potatoes are fully cooked, stir in the heavy cream. Serve right away with some bread on the side.