Curried Potato, Apple and Kale Soup

Happy New year from Fab Frugal Food!

There are many foods that traditions say usher in a year of prosperity and health. This flavorful soup recipe features one of my favorite New Year’s foods – kale. (Green represents prosperity as in Big Bucks!) This soup has layers of flavor and has that smooth, comfort-food feel.  A bonus: It is easy and healthy, too. Kale is one of the healthiest foods there is per calorie – the saying should not be “an apple a day,” but “a bunch of kale a day” keeps the doctor away. BOTH fabulous and frugal to boot!

I love the way the sweetness of the apples counters the bitterness of the kale. The potatoes make the whole soup creamy and comforting. If you don’t have apples on hand, you can still make this soup with just onions, potatoes and kale, but add a tablespoon or two of honey to counteract the kale’s bitterness.

Don’t forget to stir in a tablespoon of vinegar just before serving. My grandma used to do this with soups and I always wondered why. Now I know: FLAVOR! The vinegar (I like just plain old apple cider variety for this soup) adds a kind of richness (translation for you foodies out there: “umami”) and depth that takes this soup instantly from average to **WoW***  Adding it right before serving keeps the tang of the vinegar.

CURRIED POTATO, APPLE AND KALE SOUP

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook time 30 minutes

Serves 4 to 6

1 large white onion, diced
2 pounds Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes, peeled and diced (about 8 cups)
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled and diced
1 large bunch kale, stems removed and diced (about 8 cups total diced)
4 cups vegetable stock
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
1 tablespoon curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Saute the onion and potato in oil in a large stockpot over medium high heat for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add in apples and saute another 5 minutes. Add in all remaining ingredients except vinegar. Simmer slowly for 20 minutes.

Blend half of soup mixture in food processor or blender until smooth. Add back in to pot. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar. Serve warm.

Other great food bloggers kale soups recipes:
Kale and Roasted Vegetable Soup, Simply Recipes
Sausage and Red Russian Kale Soup, Kalyn’s Kitchen
Kale and Apple Soup, The Kitchen
Kale White Bean and Sausage Soup, Cheap Healthy Good
Kale Barley Soup, Health Nut

– posted by Donna

This is a choose-your-own-adventure recipe, price-wise. I may do this from time to time if you like the idea: take a base recipe (i.e. the curry) and offer different levels of frugality, shall we say; typically reflected in the protein choice. I happened to have some shrimp in the freezer that was getting into the danger zone & needed to be used soon, so it happened to be a frugal choice for me in this instance (who wants to throw away perfectly great shrimp?). But a much cheaper route would be to use chicken as the protein, and the cheapest of all would be our beloved tofu. Any of the choices will be delicious, and will still highlight the same great curry flavors.

Let’s give this a whirl, shall we?

COCONUT CURRY, 3 PRICES

1 tablespoon olive or peanut oil
1 onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, julienned
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ginger, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 teaspoons curry powder
15 ounce can light coconut milk
2 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Protein choices:
SPLURGY: 1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined OR
THRIFTY: 1 chicken breast, sliced into thin strips OR
FRUGALICIOUS: 14 ounces firm tofu, drained, pressed and cubed

1 cup peas (frozen is fine)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons fresh basil, cut into chiffonade

Heat oil in large, nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Saute onions for about a minute, then add red pepper and garlic until vegetables begin to soften, about 4 minutes. If using chicken or tofu, add now. Add cumin, coriander, and curry powder. Cook for 1 more minute. Stir in coconut milk, sugar, and crushed red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered for 3-4 minutes.

If using shrimp, add now and increase heat to medium-high. Cook and stir until shrimp is cooked through, about 4 minutes. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water. Stir into pan  and cook until sauce has thickened, about two minutes. Stir in basil, and remove from heat. Serve over jasmine rice, brown rice, or, as pictured, quinoa.

P.S. Yes, I’m tagging this vegan and vegetarian, because it would be if you choose door #3.

– posted by Anne