Collard Green Soup

In our produce share last week, we got a bunch of collard greens. I wanted to find a recipe that was easy yet more interesting than just sauteing the greens. When I found this soup, I was quite happy because I just had to get a few things from the store. I also was really happy because this colder weather definitely is soup weather! 

I found that this was a versatile recipe, and that I could substitute or add vegetables to make it heartier. You could make it as complex or simple as you wanted. I hope you try this recipe. Not only is it healthy, but it is delicious. This recipe also could be vegetarian (using vegetable stock) or chicken could have been added for extra protein. 

Ingredients

         1 large bunch young collard greens, leaves washed and stripped from stems

         1-2 tablespoons olive oil

         1 sprig plus 1 teaspoon of fresh rosemary, leaves stripped and chopped (finally using fresh herbs from my patio container!) 

         1 medium yellow onion, finely diced

         2 medium carrots, finely diced

         1 medium Yukon Gold potato, (I used two red potatoes)

         1 clove garlic, chopped

         Cannellini beans 1 (14-ounce) can, drained and rinsed well, plus ½ cup fresh water

         2¼ quarts (9 cups) low-sodium chicken stock

Directions

1. Pull the leaves from their stems. Cut the leaves into bite-sized pieces, and set aside.


2. In a large Dutch oven (or large stock pot), heat the oil over a medium-high temperature stove. Add the rosemary. Let it sizzle for a moment, and then add the onion, carrot and potato.  (In addition to the onion, carrots, and potato, I added red pepper. You can add whatever vegetables you want based on what you have. Broccoli or cauliflower would also be great additions.) Mix well.

3. Turn the heat down to medium-low. Cover the vegetables for 8-10 minutes or until they are soft and the onion is slightly golden. Stir every so often to prevent sticking or burning.

4. Turn the heat up to medium high. Add the chopped garlic. Stir and cook for another 2 minutes until you start to smell its aroma. Add the greens and stir-fry until they start to wilt and soften.

5. Add the stock and beans, and ½ cup water. The beans and vegetables should be well covered with liquid but not drowned.  Bring the soup to a boil. Partially cover and turn the heat down to low. Simmer, stirring from time to time, for 20-25 minutes or until the greens are very tender.
 

6. Adjust seasoning, then cook 5 minutes more. Mash some of the beans against the sides of the pan to thicken the soup slightly. Let the soup sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Serve drizzled with a little olive oil, if desired.