The Souper Bowl Challenge: We Have a Winner!

Nine intrepid participants showed up to our first ever local soup-making class as part of our Souperbowl Challenge, where we cooked three soups featuring local ingredients selected from several dozen entries.

They chopped, they sautéed, they stirred and they seasoned. And they came up with a winner. “Kale and Kielbasa Soup,” a recipe submitted by Linda Glenn of Burlington!

Asked to choose a winning soup based on (1) use of local ingredients, (2) simplicity/reproducibility, and (3) taste, participants voted for this soup by a 2:1 ratio. We made a vegetarian version as well, leaving out the sausage, and it was just as good. So pull out those soup pots and ladles! This soup was featured at the Winter Farmer’s Market on Saturday, is on our hot bar all week, and 100 soup kits will be headed up the road to the Food Shelf.

All photo credits go to Ben Sarle, who is taking pictures for his co-op member-work. Thanks, Ben!

Hearty Kale and Kielbasa Soup
This makes a big batch of soup, so you can freeze some for later!

1 bunch fresh kale
1 large yellow onion
3 Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed and cubed
1 medium squash, peeled and cubed (or 2 sweet potatoes)
8 cups chicken or veggie broth
1⁄4 cup olive oil
6 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1 15-oz can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15-oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 pound kielbasa sausage, sliced
1 bay leaf
1 hot pepper, seeded and chopped
2 Tbs. paprika
salt and pepper to taste
nutritional yeast to taste

In a large pot, sauté the onion and sausage in 1/4 cup of olive oil. Add garlic, but do not let garlic brown. (The sausage doesn't need to be cooked through yet.) Then add the squash and diced hot pepper. Heat for 5 more minutes. Season with the paprika. Add the broth and bay leaf. Simmer for 10 minutes.
Prepare the kale by rinsing it thoroughly and tearing the leafy portions from the stems. Tear into bite-size pieces. Discard stems.
Add the potatoes and kale leaves to the pot. Simmer for 30 minutes, then add the beans. Heat for another 10 minutes. Remove bay leaf. Season with salt, pepper and nutritional yeast to taste.

Curried Roasted Squash Soup
One of two runners-up. The other runner-up is in my last entry.

1 medium to large butternut squash, halved & seeded
2 Tbs. peanut or canola oil
1 Tbs. curry powder
1 Tbs. peeled and minced ginger
1 tsp. cumin seeds
1⁄2 tsp. red pepper flakes
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 1⁄2 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 1⁄2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
1 lime, juiced
1⁄4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

Preheat oven to 400. Place squash, flesh side down, in a baking pan. Roast for about 30-40 minutes, until completely tender. Let cool slightly. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the curry, ginger, cumin seeds, and red pepper flakes. Simmer until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and simmer for 2 minutes more, until the garlic just begins to color. Remove from the heat. Scoop the flesh from the squash. Combine half of the squash in blender or processor with half the spices and half the broth until smooth. Transfer to a large saucepan. Repeat with remaining squash, spices and broth. Add the coconut milk, limejuice, salt and pepper to taste. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Reheat over medium heat until hot, stirring frequently. Just before serving, stir in cilantro.