I love this, I mean I really love this blogging thing. Staying up late writing about recipes and food and family.
I’m constantly rummaging stores, tuning in to interesting food shows, researching spice blends, or trying to learn how to grow my own collard and mustard green garden.
More than I love eating, the joy I have from watching my loved ones enjoy my preparations is even better.
I love to hear hmmm how did you make this, or wow this broccoli is good. Or what did you put in that chili?
Nothing is better than watching others enjoy your food.
That’s why I blog. Not for any other reason but to share my passion for food with you.
Thank you for cyber kickin’ it with me.
Thank you for letting me indulge in my passions with you.
Now let me show you how I you can make our families favorite soup. Trust me, you should make this one.
Starting with a pound of ground pork.
Brown pork in pot.
Not just to cooked through but until it gets a nice little caramelized and brown crusty’s.
Add some salt.
Pour and reserve the rendered fat, they call it Lard, I call it heaven.
I use it to scramble eggs or season my cast iron skillet.
It’s good fat long as it’s from a good pig.
No antibiotics, no hormones, free range, humanely raised piggies is what I use.
Lets move on to the herbs and spices.
Sage. Because sausage likes sage.
Tarragon. It adds a sweet aromatic note to this salty soup.
Mushrooms for more body.
If you know me you know I’ll do anything with a sweet potato.
So of course I choose it over a russet.
They’re prettier.
They have more flavor.
They have more nutrition.
Beta-carotene, and vitamin A any one. I like a bit of spice. So, Crushed Red pepper.
Mix it all together and what do you get? A nice base for this hearty soup!
Add some more salt and mix it with pepper at this point.
Start with a few teaspoons and add more later as your palette sees fit.
2 Tablespoons of butter. Melt. Sorry my Lactose -intolerant queens. Min in 1 Tablespoon of arrowroot flour.
This is where you can or cannot follow the pictures. Totally up to you.
In the picture I added the sweet potatoes first but after a few trial and error runs I find the potatoes end up with a better texture if you add the liquid first.
Bring it to a boil.
Then add your sweet potatoes.
Bring back to a boil turn heat to low and recover the pot for 15 minutes.
That’s cream. And again apologies my Lacto-intolerant peeps.
Pot covered. Ready for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, mix in Kale and cover pot again.
Cook on low five more minutes and turn off.
Because I like my Kale to retain it’s texture, I make sure to turn pot off after 5 minutes and let it sit for at least ten minutes before serving.
To finish it off, sprinkle with Parmesan and enjoy.
Sweet potatoes.
Sausage.
Kale.
That’s it.
- 1 Pound Ground Pork
- 1/4 extra virgin olive oil. ( I used California which added sweetness)
- 2 cups chopped mushrooms (baby bell, Shiitake, or whatever you like)
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
- Bunch of fresh sage
- Bunch of fresh Tarragon
- 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
- 2 Handfuls of fresh Kale
- 1 Large Sweet Potato (Chopped about 3 cups)
- 32 oz Chicken Stock
- 1.5 Cups water
- 1 Cup heavy cream
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 1 Tablespoon Arrowroot flour
- Salt generously
- pepper to taste.
- Brown ground pork.
- Season with teaspoon salt and pepper. (you'll still need more later)
- Pour some of the rendered fat out.
- Add olive oil.
- Saute chopped mushrooms, shallots, and garlic.
- Add chopped tarragon and sage.
- Add crushed red pepper.
- Mix together. Cook for about 5 minutes.
- Make a well and melt butter.
- Add Arrowroot flour and mix into all ingredients.
- Pour in chicken stock, water and cream.
- Add more salt.
- Bring to boil and let pot boil for another 5 minutes.
- Add chopped sweet potatoes.
- Turn pot to low and place top on the pot.
- Cook potatoes for 20 minutes.
- Add freshly washed and chopped Kale.
- Mix in good for 1 minute.
- Place top back onto pot cook for another 5 minutes.
- Turn pot off and let soup sit for 10 more minutes.
- Serve soup sprinkled in Parmesan Cheese.
- You can add the potatoes before or after the liquid just make sure not to over cook.
- Check the potatoes to make sure you reach desired softness.
- Taste as you goo and add salt and pepper as needed.
Yum!!! I love soup. We use to get some really good pastured ground pork from a local farm, but they stopped farming. Unfortunately, all the other ground pork that we tried from other pastured pork farmers hasn’t lived up to the ground pork from the one that we loved. Grass-fed and pasture meats are the way to go.
Sorry to hear that, you are so right pastured raised is best. I can tell a different in flavor with grass fed beef vs grain fed. It tastes how you would expect beef to actually taste, if that makes sense lol. Thank you Sonya!
This soup looks fabulous! I love the combo of sweet potatoes and red pepper flakes. Nothing better than sweet and spicy!
Christin@SpicySouthernKitchen recently posted…Blueberry Almond Protein Pancakes
Yes, sweet & spicy is always a good match! Thank you Christin!
Wow, what a gorgeous soup! Love all of the flavors and colors in here.
Thank you Pamela!
Christina, you won’t believe it but I made a very similar soup last week! I didn’t use sweet potatoes (used Dutch baby yellows), and threw in a bunch of different greens that we had growing in the garden. It’s one of my favorite soups! Yours looks incredible and I love how you made the sausage from scratch! I’m going to have to try it that way the next time I make it!
Tracey @ saltysweetlife.com recently posted…Weird Shoes
Thanks Tracey!
This is a lovely soup!
Jocelyn (Grandbaby cakes) recently posted…Pink and Green Vanilla Cupcakes
Thank you Jocelyn!
This is a gorgeous bowl of soup! LOVE!
Amanda recently posted…1-17-15
Thanks Amanda!
This soup looks delicious and perfectly comforting too! Those flavours are amazing too.
Jess @ whatjessicabakednext recently posted…Oreo Cookies ‘n’ Cream Chocolate Tart {No-Bake}
Thank you Jess!
Holy smokes!! This soup looks terrific! I love all the ingredients (expect for pork — not a big pork fan but I imagine this dish would taste just as good with ground beef). I love your photos, too! I always enjoy a step by step guide – it really helps me to visualize how a meal comes together!
Rose | The Clean Dish recently posted…Winter Salad with Honey Glazed Mushrooms and Orange Vinaigrette {grain free, gluten free}
I’m sure grass fed ground chuck would work wonderfully in this recipe! Thank you Rose!
Yum! I cannot wait to make this. So easy and healthy. I’ve never tried a soup with sweet potatoes. Great idea!
Tia recently posted…Monthly Meal Planning: February 2015
I love sweet potatoes, thank you Tia!
You must know what your talking about since you want us to reserve the lard! The soup looks tasty, and I bet extra spicy sausage would make it even more warming.
Doug recently posted…Great Accessories for Cast Iron Skillets
Yes I would looove this with extra spicy sausage! Thanks Doug!