Kūlia cooks!: Time for some winter soup with Kale and squash

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Time for some winter soup with Kale and squash

We are having an unseasonably warm winter. Although I feel bad for the businesses that depend on snow and ice for winter sports, I treasure every warm day that we have so far. January is usually a depressing month for me. There are limited choices of fruit and vegetable, and sometime they do not taste right. We had a rare treat this week, my co-op Wedge had some beautiful carrot. I had to get some. l then remember I stored the a last of the squash and potatoes from the CSA. It's time for hearty winter soup.

The squash I store now has a hard almost shell like skin. I decide to roast it and make it easier to remove the skin and it also add more flavor to the soup. I am using washed and chopped kale in a bag and ready made steamed French lentil from Trader Joe's. Both are great time saver products. I especially love the lentil. I keep a box on hand at all time.

Winter Kale and lentil with roasted squash and carrot soup
2 small dumpling squash or 1 med size acorn squash. Cut in half, remove pulp and roast in 375 degrees oven till tender. Remove skin and cut in to small cubes

1 bunch of carrots. Cleaned, peeled, cut into small cubes and dry roast in 375 degrees oven till tender
1 onion. Peeled, cleaned and cut into small pieces
3 stalks of celery. Cleaned and cut into small pieces
1 large tablespoon of Herb de Provence
1 bag of washed washed chopped Kale

2 tsp crushed garlic from a jar
1 carton 32oz vegetable stock
1 cup water
1 cup steamed French lentil

Olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
In a dutch oven, heat a couple of tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat till hot, add crushed garlic