If you are familiar with the Ripe Recipes we post on the Plant a Row blog, you know about Sally's wonderful cooking! In this post, Sally shares her Greek Lentil Soup that uses fresh kale or collard greens that you may be growing in your garden! Here are some Ripe Recipes Sally has offered in the past: Grilled Tomatillo Salsa, Fresh Fig Tart, Thai Basil Eggplant. Greek Lentil Soup
- ¼ pound each, brown lentils & green split peas
- fresh rosemary 1 pound sausage (lamb or Italian turkey sausage)
- ½ - ¾ C dry white wine
- 1 qt. chicken stock
- 1 large yellow onion
- 1 stalk celery
- 1 carrot
- 2 tbs minced garlic
- 1 tsp dry oregano
- 2-3 C firm-packed chopped collard or kale leaves
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- fresh lemon
Directions:
- Take about 1/4 pound each of brown lentils and green split peas. Rinse, and cover with water, add about 8" stalk of rosemary and simmer until the beans soften, replenishing water as necessary.
- Remove rosemary twig when beans are tender. Then sautee about 1 pound of sausage in a skillet. I used Greek lamb sausage from Whole Foods, but Italian turkey sausage will work fine.
- After the sausage is well browned, remove from pan and slice. Deglaze pan with 1/2 or 3/4 cup dry white wine, and simmer to reduce slightly. Add juices to beans. Add 1 quart chicken stock to beans.
- Then, in several tbs of olive oil, sautee 1 large onion, coarsely chopped, 1 stalk celery chopped, and 1 carrot chopped. Add 1 tsp dry oregano.
- When veggies begin to release their juices, add 2 minced cloves of garlic. Sautee till the onion begins to become translucent. Then add 2 or 3 cups chopped collard greens (chopped kale will also do). Continue to sautee until the greens are well wilted.
- Add sausage, veggies, 1 can diced tomatoes to bean pot & continue to simmer for another 1/2 hour.
- Add salt & black pepper to taste. Serve with a squeeze of fresh lemon on top!