Indian Summer Stew With White Beans, Chicken & Kale

For most chicken soups, I prefer to make them the day after I have made a whole roast chicken.  I use the bones to make homemade broth, and the leftover meat goes in the soup.  If I have any leftover gravy it goes in the soup as well.  No-waste cooking is great for the budget, and in this case, is the secret to getting the most flavor into  your bowl.  If you want to make a vegetarian version, or have not roasted a chicken lately, just remember to start with a good quality stock and make sure to roast the vegetables long enough to bring out the rich caramelized sugars.  When using homemade stock or gravy in this soup, remember to skim the fats from the broth or drippings as much as possible in order to keep the soup from being too heavy.

Ingredients: 4 small kohlrabi bulbs, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces 2 medium sweet peppers, seeded and chopped into 1-inch pieces 2 carrots, trimmed and coarsely chopped Canola oil

3 stalks of celery, chopped 1 yellow onion, diced 4-6 garlic cloves, peeled and diced

1- inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated 1 tsp paprika 1/4 tsp ground cumin 1/8 tsp white pepper

8-10 cups of chicken broth or stock 2 bay leaves

5 curly kale, kohlrabi, or collard leaves, (stems removed) washed and chopped About 2 cups of cooked chicken, chopped 1 lb white navy beans (dry), soaked, cooked until tender and drained Sea salt and black pepper Juice from 1 lemon Diced fresh tomato and hot sauce for garnish (optional)

Method: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Place the chopped kohlrabi, sweet peppers and carrots in a baking dish.  Toss with a little oil and season with sea salt.  Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to brown on the tips.  While the vegetables are baking, saute the chopped celery, onion and garlic with a little oil in a large stock pot.  When they are tender, add the paprika, cumin, white pepper, 6 cups of broth, roasted kohlrabi, sweet peppers and carrots.  Stir to combine, then remove from heat.  Puree with an immersion blender.  Add the bay leaves and lemon juice.  Season with salt and black pepper to taste.  Simmer for about 30 minutes.  Add the chopped greens, beans and chicken.  Simmer until the greens are tender.  Serve with ripe diced tomatoes and your favorite hot sauce.