Zuppa Toscana

Have you been to Olive Garden and eaten Zuppa Toscana?  Yes, then you know how amazing that soup is.  This is my attempt.  I made up this recipe a few years ago and it isn't exactly the same, but I like it and wanted to share.  We are heading into Autumn here in New York.  Yes, we have seasons, unlike my home town in California.  The weather is cooling down and I am happy to be making soups in response to the cold.  For my family and friends in California, not enjoying the cool weather yet, maybe this soup can still give you some comfort.  

Comfort in a bowl.  Try it and you will see.

Ingredients:

1 lb. Breakfast Sausage
4 cloves Garlic
5 thin skinned Potaoes (Eastern or Red potatoes)
6 cups Vegetable Broth (Chicken Broth can also be substituted)
1 bunch Kale
1 1/2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream

Clean potatoes and kale and cut into 1/2 inch pieces.

Brown sausage in a stock pot over medium heat.

Pour broth into pot, add potatoes and garlic and cover and bring to boil and cook
until the potatoes are tender.

Add kale after potatoes are tender.  Cook for another 3 minutes.

Turn off heat, add cream, and stir.

Enjoy!

Zuppa Toscana

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients:

1 lb. Breakfast Sausage

4 cloves Garlic

5 thin skinned Potaoes (Eastern or Red potatoes)

6 cups Vegetable Broth (Chicken Broth can also be substituted)

1 bunch Kale

1 1/2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream

Process:

Clean potatoes and kale and cut into 1/2 inch pieces.

Brown sausage in a stock pot over medium heat.

Pour broth into pot, add potatoes and garlic and cover and bring to boil.  Cook until the potatoes are tender.

Add kale after potatoes are tender.   Cook for another 3 minutes.

Turn off heat, add cream, and stir.

Enjoy!

Colcannon

Colcannon is a traditional potato dish. In Ireland potatoes are as plentiful as recipes to use them.  This is a wonderful mashed potato recipe that is traditionally made with kale and of course butter.  To be authentic, I used Irish Butter as well. If I had thought about it, I could have looked for some thick European style cream.  Irish butter is made from milk that is milked from pastured cows in the Summer. Ireland has beautiful pastures of green grass for their cows, so why wouldn't the milk these cows produce taste amazing?  I ask you truthfully, our cows here in the USA don't always get grass, some get corn instead.  Anyway off my soap box.  Truthfully, for everyday we eat Cabot butter or Costco butter.  Today is special.  As an Irish family I wanted us to remain as true to an authentic Irish meal as possible.    

 The green and white are beautiful together in this Irish dish, and delicious.

Ingredients for thie Recipe Are:

2 1/2 lbs. Russet Potatoes

Bunch of Kale

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Irish Butter

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

6 cloves Garlic

Sea Salt

Freshly Ground Pepper

Wash and scrub potatoes clean.

Pour 1 inch of water into pressure cooker pan and place rack in water.

Pierce potatoes with a knife twice.

Place potatoes in pressure cooker pan and set in pressure cooker.

Set pressure cooker to high for 10 minutes.

Wash and cut kale into small 1/2 inch pieces.

Preheat 10 inch skillet over medium flame.

 Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, and one tablespoon butter to pan.

Press garlic into pan, and add kale.

Saute kale just until bright green.

 When potatoes are done cooking add them to a large oven safe dish and mash with potato masher.

Add cream, 1/2 cup butter, and kale to potatoes and stir.

Sprinkle salt and pepper, as much as you prefer.

Serve with a well lengthwise down the center filled with the remaining 1/2 cup butter divided and spanning the dish.

Enjoy!

Colcannon

Printable Recipe Found Here

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lbs. Russet Potatoes

Bunch of Kale

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons Irish Butter

2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil

1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream

6 cloves Garlic

Salt

Freshly Ground Pepper

Process:

Wash and scrub potatoes clean.

Pour 1 inch of water into pressure cooker pan and place rack in water.

Pierce potatoes with a knife twice.

Place potatoes in pressure cooker pan and set in pressure cooker.

Set pressure cooker to high for 10 minutes.

Wash and cut kale into small 1/2 inch pieces.

Preheat 10 inch skillet over medium flame.

Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, and one tablespoon butter to pan.

Press garlic into pan, and add kale.

Saute kale just until bright green.

When potatoes are done cooking add them to a large oven safe dish and mash with potato masher.

Add cream, 1/2 cup butter, and kale to potatoes and stir.

Sprinkle salt and pepper, as much as you prefer.

Serve with a well lengthwise down the center filled with the remaining 1/2 cup butter divided and spanning the dish.

Enjoy!