What the Kale??

 It has been difficult finding time to write even a short post on my blog. If anyone thinks that going to culinary college involves just showing up to class for a leisurely fun filled day of cooking, you will be in for an enormous shock. We average at least 2 or more hours of homework each day, plus preparing prep sheets, time management sheets and writing out the recipes for the next day. After an hour of lecture and demo by Chef Winter, we have 2 hours to prepare our food. Usually we are fixing four items. Today we made fresh pasta, Alfredo sauce, Pesto, and a cheese filling that went into either tortellini or ravioli. Once prepared, the food has to be plated and presented for evaluation. It is a demanding schedule, but that is what makes Le Cordon Bleu one of the better culinary colleges in the world.

We have been learning about the different kinds of soups -- clear; thick and specialty soups. We made a Consommé Brunoise, a New England Clam Chowder, French Onion and Dubarry (made with cauliflower). Vegetable cookery, legumes, grains and pasta followed our segment on soup.

Class is not about learning recipes, but understanding and learning the principles and methods behind the recipes. We also have to learn the science of the food we are cooking to successfully use these principles.

One of the soups demonstrated by Chef Winter was Caldo Verdi, which is popular in Portuguese cuisine. It is a simple soup to make and a great way to incorporate kale in your diet.

Caldo Verde Soup

½ oz. of olive oil

3 oz. of onion, ciseler (cut into a small dice)

1 clove of garlic, hacher (chop very finely with a knife)

1 lb. of Russet potatoes, peeled and émincer (thinly slice

32 oz. of water

6 oz. of spicy sausage

8 oz. of Kale, de-ribbed then cut chiffonade

Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan, simmer the onions until soft and translucent. Do not brown. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute. Add the water and potatoes, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for about 20 minutes. Be careful to only simmer the potatoes. In a sauté pan, cook the sausage until most of the fat has been rendered, and cut or break apart into small pieces. Once the potatoes are tender, slightly mash them in the saucepan, add the sausage and kale and simmer for 5 minutes. Adjust seasonings and enjoy. 

Bon appétit!