Preparation / Directions:
Pour enough oil to barely cover the bottom of a large sauce pan, approximately 8 quart size. If using salt pork, mince finely and simmer until melted down; approximately a 2" square piece. Add chopped garlic and saute until barely brown. If you choose, you can spoon out much of the garlic and salt pork as the flavor is now in the shortening.
Meantime, thoroughly wash the escarole and add it to the pot with just the water clinging to the leaves after washing. Cover pot and simmer until the escarole cooks down which should not take more than 5 minutes or so. Add chicken stock which should cover escarole by a few inches or until you think you have a sufficient quantity of liquid. As you cook it several times you will come to know how much liquid to add depending on how much broth you prefer. Cook about 10 minutes or until escarole is tender.
Beat eggs in small bowl and add as much grated cheese as you desire which again is a matter of taste. It should be at least several tablespoons. Add salt and pepper. Bring escarole to a gently rolling simmer and as it boils, slowly pour the egg mixture into the soup, stirring as you pour. Turn off soup and serve immediately. This soup improves with age and is excellent as a leftover. This dish was a staple during the depression and especially on holidays as a first or second course. It was made without salt pork for Christmas eve and with little meatballs for Christmas or Thanksgiving when meat was a treat.
Variations of Escarole Soup
Serve without the egg mixture if desired or with little meatballs as outlined..........
Meatballs
1 lb chopped meat 1 egg 1 T parsley salt and pepper 3 T grated cheese
Shape into tiny meatballs and drop into bubbling soup for about 5 minutes.
Escarole and Bean Soup
Make soup as above with or without meatballs. Do not add egg mixture. Add 2 cans of cannellini beans along with broth, just before escarole is cooked through.
With Sausage
Use sausage meat or squeeze meat from casing. Brown in stockpot, taking care to separate meat as it cooks. Pour off most of the drippings using just enough for shortening for the basic recipe. Make the basic escarole soup, however, do not add the egg mixture.
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