Recipe: Baltic Lamb and Kale Soup

BALTIC LAMB AND KALE SOUP
"Except along the Baltic where sheep graze salt marshes, lamb and mutton are not popular in Germany, Poland, Denmark, and other countries washed by these icy waters. Even here in the U.S., I've found few recipes for lamb, and most are for leg of lamb (my focus here - soups that make the most of bony or sinewy cuts). I think this one of the best."


4 ounces double-smoked slab bacon, cut in 1/4-inch dice, or 4 ounces thickly sliced bacon, cut crosswise in 1/4-inch strips
1 pound boneless lamb shoulder or neck slices, trimmed of excess fat and cut in 3/4-inch cubes
1/2 pound kielbasa, halved lengthwise and each half thinly sliced
2 large yellow onions, coarsely chopped
1 cup finely diced celery root
2 large whole bay leaves (preferably fresh)
1 quart (4 cups) chicken broth
1 cup water (about)
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
1 bunch kale (about 1 pound), stems and central ribs removed and leaves cut in 1- to 2- inch pieces*
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard blended with
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar (I prefer raw sugar)

Saute bacon in a large heavy broad-bottomed soup pot over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until all fat has rendered out and only crisp brown bits remain - about 10 minutes. Using a slotted, spoon, scoop browned bits to paper toweling to drain and reserve. Pour off all drippings, then spoon 4 tablespoons back into pot. Reserve remaining drippings.

Saute lamb and kielbasa in drippings over moderately high heat, stirring often, until nicely browned - 8 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, lift to a bowl and reserve.

Add onions, celery root, and bay leaves to drippings and saute, stirring often and adding another tablespoon drippings, if necessary, until limp and lightly browned - 10 to 12 minutes.

Return lamb and kielbasa to pot along with accumulated juices, add broth, 1 cup water, salt, and pepper, and bring to a boil. Adjust heat so mixture barely bubbles, cover, and simmer slowly for 1 1/2 hours. Check pot occasionally and if liquid seems skimpy, add a little more water.

Add kale, pushing down into soup, cover, and simmer until kale and lamb are both tender - about 1 hour longer. Smooth in mustard mixture. Discard bay leaves, taste for salt and pepper, and adjust as needed.

To serve, ladle into heated large soup plates, scatter a few reserved bacon bits over each portion, and accompany with crusty chunks of French or Italian bread.

*Choose flat-leafed kale if you can find it - the curly is difficult to clean and cut. To remove stem and coarse central rib of each leaf, cut alongside each rib with a sharp knife and pull away from leaf, bringing the stem with it. At this point, I stack leaves in groups of four or five, then cut in pieces with my fiercest chef s knife and dump into a large mesh colander. Once all the kale is cut, I wash well under cool running water, then leave the kale to drain while I proceed with the recipe. When it s time to add the kale to the soup, I simply upend the colander over the pot and push the kale into the soup. The water droplets clinging to the leaves increase the amount of soup liquid slightly and that s good.

Makes 4 to 6 servings
Source: Falling Off the Bone by Jean Anderson