The weather is getting colder, which means I'm more and more in the mood for something warm and comforting. Over the summer, I'd kind of forgotten this one soup/stew that I fell in love with last winter. With the hot weather, this soup just seemed way too warm and heavy. Now, though, now I'm embracing it like an old friend. In the past week and a half, I've made it twice. And, although it freezes well, that has been unnecessary. :) This stew is also packed with superfoods, like quinoa and kale. If you make your own stock, it's a nutrition powerhouse.
Superfood Stew
makes enough for about 4 (my husband eats a lot; I have a hard time judging!)
from michael sallustio
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced (about 2 tsp pre-minced)
2 large carrots, diced
1/2 bunch greens (I almost always use kale; chard would work too); de-stemmed and cut into ribbons
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dill Image by Sarah Culver
1/2 lb sweet or spicy sausage, casing removed
(chicken, pork, tofu - I usually use a basil-something one; I prefer it to be sweet)
1 bay leaf
6 cups stock (I make my own, usually pheasant stock from pheasants my dad hunts; chicken or veggie would definitely work too)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup lentils (brown or dark green)
1/2 cup quinoa
basil and salt to serve
Here's the cool thing about this stew. It's pretty rustic and homey, so you don't need perfect knife cuts or super evenly cut veggies. The soup will cook long enough that things will get cooked through regardless of their size, so perfection is unnecessary. Part of what I love about this dish is that I can just chop things up, through them in a pot, and call it a meal.
Heat the oil in a very large sauce pot (in the end, all your ingredients are going to have to fit into this pot!). Add your onion, garlic, carrots, cumin, and dill. Saute over medium heat for about five minutes, until slightly soft and getting some color. Add the raw sausage (make sure you removed it from the casing; I usually just twist it until the casing splits and push out the meat inside so it breaks up a bit). Cook for another few minutes to brown the sausage, stirring frequently to break up the sausage bits.
Add the bay leaf, stock, and water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and add the lentils, quinoa, and kale. Simmer for about 45 minutes, uncovered. Then cover and simmer for another 1-2 hours. If you want it thicker, leave the lid off. Serve with basil and salt sprinkled on top (you can just add this to the soup, but I really like to mix it in one bowl at a time).
makes enough for about 4 (my husband eats a lot; I have a hard time judging!)
from michael sallustio
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced (about 2 tsp pre-minced)
2 large carrots, diced
1/2 bunch greens (I almost always use kale; chard would work too); de-stemmed and cut into ribbons
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dill Image by Sarah Culver
1/2 lb sweet or spicy sausage, casing removed
(chicken, pork, tofu - I usually use a basil-something one; I prefer it to be sweet)
1 bay leaf
6 cups stock (I make my own, usually pheasant stock from pheasants my dad hunts; chicken or veggie would definitely work too)
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup lentils (brown or dark green)
1/2 cup quinoa
basil and salt to serve
Here's the cool thing about this stew. It's pretty rustic and homey, so you don't need perfect knife cuts or super evenly cut veggies. The soup will cook long enough that things will get cooked through regardless of their size, so perfection is unnecessary. Part of what I love about this dish is that I can just chop things up, through them in a pot, and call it a meal.
Heat the oil in a very large sauce pot (in the end, all your ingredients are going to have to fit into this pot!). Add your onion, garlic, carrots, cumin, and dill. Saute over medium heat for about five minutes, until slightly soft and getting some color. Add the raw sausage (make sure you removed it from the casing; I usually just twist it until the casing splits and push out the meat inside so it breaks up a bit). Cook for another few minutes to brown the sausage, stirring frequently to break up the sausage bits.
Add the bay leaf, stock, and water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and add the lentils, quinoa, and kale. Simmer for about 45 minutes, uncovered. Then cover and simmer for another 1-2 hours. If you want it thicker, leave the lid off. Serve with basil and salt sprinkled on top (you can just add this to the soup, but I really like to mix it in one bowl at a time).