ISO help w/kale soup in crock-pot

[musiclvr56]

I make a "vegetarian" kale soup that has beans, diced tomatoes, onions, carrots, kale and water. I prefer to use a lot of kale but because I have been putting it on top, it doesn't "sink" so I can't use as much as I would like. I am going to try putting it on the bottom over the carrots and onions. The kale will "shrink" if I cook it first and then I can use more kale - What are your thoughts on doing this?

Also, today I made the mistake of not tearing the kale into small pieces and not being a kale lover I didn't enjoy the soup tonight! What is the easiest/best way to tear the pieces now that the soup is made?

I look forward to your thoughts on these two questions. I am somewhat of a novice cook!

 

[jennyema]

I make a "vegetarian" kale soup that has beans, diced tomatoes, onions, carrots, kale and water. I prefer to use a lot of kale but because I have been putting it on top, it doesn't "sink" so I can't use as much as I would like. I am going to try putting it on the bottom over the carrots and onions. The kale will "shrink" if I cook it first and then I can use more kale - What are your thoughts on doing this?

Also, today I made the mistake of not tearing the kale into small pieces and not being a kale lover I didn't enjoy the soup tonight! What is the easiest/best way to tear the pieces now that the soup is made?

I look forward to your thoughts on these two questions. I am somewhat of a novice cook!

Ok...

Ummm....why is "vegetarian" in quotes? Is it vegetarian? Or not?

Anyway, the answer to your first question (I think) is Stir! Unless you are using dried beans, the recipe you describe is a simple stovetop one where the kale just cooks in the simmering broth. Just stir to incorporate it into the soup.

Second question (I think) you probably should tear whole greens (kale, spinach, chard, etc) into smaller pieces for soup. Matter of preference....

Also, you don't love kale,don't use it!

 

[Dawgluver]

Kale soup-crockpot

I despise kale. But I've heard a lot about "massaging" it. That means stripping the center rib out and squishing it up between your fingers. Seems to make it more tender. Then chop it or shred it up finely, throw it in your soup, and as jennyema said, stir like crazy.

 

[GotGarlic]

I would just use spinach or chard. There's nothing magical about kale. If you don't like it, don't eat it.

 

[Dawgluver]

I agree.

 

[msmofet]

I'm not a fan of kale either. I only use very little in a loose copy cat of Olive Garden soup. I like bitter greens like broccoli rabe, turnip greens, collard greens and mustard greens over kale.

 

[Cheryl J]

Hi musiclvr. You don't even really have to use leafy greens, you could use chopped broccoli or asparagus.

 

[Kayelle]

Odd man out here I guess......I really like kale but it has to be cooked a looooong time until it's very tender. I strip the leaves from the ribs and tear into very small pieces before cooking.
Try devoting some attention to your soup by cooking it on top of the stove, rather than dumping everything together in a crock pot. Tending to food is very satisfying...honest!

 

[CWS4322]

Love kale. I freeze it for 30 minutes first, massage it, and then cook until tender--about 15 minutes. The only time I like it mushy is with Pinkel (as sausage found in Northern Germany).

 

[Cheryl J]

Love kale here, too. Especially in http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f13/zuppa-toscana-92039.html soup, which I'll need to make again soon. I also tear it up into little pieces.

 

[jennyema]

Honestly the only time I like kale is if it's totally buried in a beef stew or pot roast.

 

[Dawgluver]

Don't mind kale if I can't taste it and if it's sneaked in. Plain, no thanks. I much prefer spinach or chard.

 

[Kayelle]

I need to cook kale way longer than 15 min. CWS, at least 3X that long to be tender.
Don't forget all greens are better with

 

[Kayelle]

Love kale here, too. Especially in http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f13/zuppa-toscana-92039.html soup, which I'll need to make again soon. I also tear it up into little pieces.

Yesssssss....my very favorite soup! As a matter of fact, it turned me onto kale a long time ago.

 

[Cheryl J]

Yesssssss....my very favorite soup! As a matter of fact, it turned me onto kale a long time ago.

Me too, Kay. I love that soup! Kale just seems to be so right for it.

 

[Mad Cook]

I despise kale. But I've heard a lot about "massaging" it. That means stripping the center rib out and squishing it up between your fingers. Seems to make it more tender. Then chop it or shred it up finely, throw it in your soup, and as jennyema said, stir like crazy.

Join the club, Dawg and others. I can't abide kale either. Cattle food and I feel sorry for the cows! I know it's supposed to be good for you (like when we were children and anything horrid would "make you grow up to be a big, strong girl") but there are a lot of better tatsing things that ar good for you.

My favourite veg is Brussels Sprouts so you can tell I'm not faddy but kale - bleuch

 

[Dawgluver]

Join the club, Dawg. I can't abide kale. Cattle food and I feel sorry for the cows!

Hee hee! My dear baby brother proudly cooked up some from his garden for me a couple years ago when I visited. I politely choked down a couple teaspoons of it. This year, when I visited and was admiring his garden, his kale was all but decimated by rabbits. The plants looked more like naked Christmas trees with one or two leaves on top. I breathed a sigh of relief.

I've heard good things about kale chips. Maybe kale chips, crumbled up, might be good in the OP's soup.

 

[CWS4322]

This is one of my favourite kale soups:

Recipe Details

You will notice the kale only cooks for about 10 minutes. Overcooking it turns it into baby food mush, IMO.

If you handle and cook kale properly, it is very tasty. I'm guessing that most folks are like I was, I didn't know what to do with it when we first planted it in the garden. I didn't like it when I bought it in the store, but learned to like it when it was fresh from the garden and not bitter and tough. I am now stuck with buying it, so I pop it in the freezer for 30 minutes, strip it and massage it. Not as good as what we grew in the garden, but it is still good.

 

[CWS4322]

I need to cook kale way longer than 15 min. CWS, at least 3X that long to be tender.
Don't forget all greens are better with

You are getting lousy kale it takes that long to be tender. You are turning it into mush. Yuck. I have probably cooked more than 500 lb of kale and I've never had to cook it for 45 minutes. I saute it for breakfast for about 10 minutes in olive oil/bacon fat/coconut fat. 45 minutes, no way. It should be tender in 12-15 minutes or less.

 

[CWS4322]

Love kale chips.