French Country Soup

Directions

1. Note: These instructions are for making this in a way that has you chopping and slicing while ingredients are cooking. The key is to turn the heat down every time you put the stirring spoon down. It seems like a lot of turning the heat up and turning the heat down, but it works. If you prefer to prep everything in advance, go ahead. The total cooking time should be about 40 minutes.
2. Thinly slice the yellow onion. In a large pan that has a good lid – I actually use a huge skillet for making this --- heat the olive oil, then put the onion in with the bay leaves. With the heat on medium high, stir for about a minute. Add a good pinch of salt, stir a few more times, then turn the heat down to medium low.
3. Thoroughly wash, cut in half lengthwise and then slice thinly the white and very pale green parts only of the leek. (Or thinly slice the shallots, if using.) Put in the pan with the onions and the butter, and give it all a good stir.
4. Coarsely chop the garlic.
5. Peel (or just scrub, if you prefer) and cut the potatoes into ¾ inch cubes. Put the potatoes and the garlic in the pan and turn the heat up to medium high. Cook, stirring constantly, for about two minutes. Turn the heat down and put a lid on the pan.
6. Finely chop the celery and coarsely chop the celery leaves, the thyme and the marjoram.
7. Turn the heat back up to medium high. Stir the potato and onion mixture well, then add the celery and chopped herbs. Stir again, then add three cups of the stock. If you are using a smoked pork chop, add it now, whole. Stir again, turn the heat down to medium low and put the lid back on.
8. Remove the green leafy part of the chard or kale from the tougher central rib and stems. Chop the stems if using chard and add to the pan. Stir, turn the heat up to medium and put the lid back on.
9. Chop the kale or chard leaves and put them in the pan. Stir well, then add the remaining cup of stock. Stir again, reduce the heat so the soup is just simmering, and put the lid back on. If you are using cooked ham or smoked turkey, add it with the kale or chard.
10. Preheat broiler, if you're making cheese toasts.
11. If using cheese and not tomato on your bread, slice the bread, and toast it very briefly under the broiler, if you want both sides crisp. Slather a bit of mustard on the side not toasted (or on either side, if you didn't toast the bread), then sprinkle the cheese on.
12. Chop the parsley and add it to the soup. Stir well. Add a cup of water, or more, if there does not seem to be enough broth.
13. Simmer the soup gently for a few more minutes. Using the back of a spoon, crush five or six soft potato pieces against the bottom of the pan and stir them into the broth to thicken it.
14. Remove the bay leaves. If using a smoked pork chop, remove it and cut the meat into bite-sized pieces, then return them to the pan, with the heat still on medium low.
15. Put the cheese-covered bread slices under the broiler for a minute or so. Watch them carefully, lest they burn.
16. If not making cheese toasts, and going the tomato on bread route, slice the bread. Cut the tomato in half. Rub it on one side of each slice of bread, bearing down a bit to release the juices. Sprinkle on a touch of coarse sea salt.
17. Check the soup for salt and correct if necessary. Add freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve in warm bowls with the cheese toasts or tomato-rubbed bread.
18. Enjoy!! ;o)
19. N.B. When they say that a good stock is essential for a good soup or sauce, they’re talking about this soup. If you don’t have an aromatic, flavorful stock, you're probably better off preparing something else for dinner instead. ;o)
20. I often use bacon fat instead of oil when softening the aromatics, especially when i don't have on hand any rich chicken stock (i.e., stock simmered with a piece of ham or prosciutto).