====== Sausage, Chickpea, and Kale Stew ======

(originally from [[https://www.amazon.com/dp/0714871273|The Kitchen Shelf cookbook]], but with the stupid stuff fixed)

===== Ingredients =====

  * 1 pkg Johnsonville Italian Sausage, either cased or loose
  * 2 cloves garlic
  * 1 tsp crushed red pepper
  * 2x 14oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  * ~3 cups soup stock (any type; can be from boullion)
  * Kale: 1 7oz bag or one fresh bunch.
      * Note: For fresh Kale, it's easier if you freeze it yourself in a bag first (see Lazy Kale Maneuver)
  * 2 tsp mustard seed or brown mustard
  * Salt/pepper to taste
  * Optional:
      * Onion or onion powder

===== Procedure =====

  - If using a bunch of fresh kale you froze yourself, perform the Lazy Kale Manuver (see below)
  - Slice the sausage and brown it.
  - Add garlic and crushed red pepper. You can add some onion now if you want.
  - Cook ~2 min.
  - //Meanwhile//, puree 1/2 can of chickpeas in food processor, or mash manually; set aside. Or just skip this if you want.
  - Put remaining whole chickpeas and soup stock into pan. (If using boullion, you can do that plus 3 cups boiling water)
  - Simmer 10 min
  - Add kale and mashed chickpeas
  - Simmer for 5 min
  - Add mustard, then salt and pepper to taste

===== Lazy Kale Maneuver =====

If you have a whole bunch of fresh kale, do this:

  - Freeze it fully in a bag.
  - Take the bag out and hit it with a meat tenderizer or hammer or just beat it up yourself. The frozen kale breaks up and you don't have to do a ton of tedious chopping.
  - Remove the big whole stems.
  - Return to freezer until it's time to deploy.