Kale, Sausage, and White Bean Soup

Serves: 6
Time Required: 2 hours (with 1 hour prep time)

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb dried white beans, such as navy or Great Northern beans
• 1 lb hot Italian sausage, removed from casing
• 1 count onion, diced
• salt and pepper to taste
• 4 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
• 1 quart chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 rind of parmesan or other hard cheese
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1 lb of diced tomatoes or 1 29-ounce can of tomatoes
• 1 bunch carrots, peeled and sliced (~4 large or 6-8 small)
• 1 bunch dino (lacinato) kale, stemmed and chopped

Directions

1. Cover beans with 2 inches of water in a heavy pot; bring to a boil, remove from heat and let stand 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, prepare sausage, onion, and garlic.
3. Saute sausage in a large soup pot until well browned and remove from pan leaving the drippings in the pan.
4. Using the same pan, saute onion with salt and pepper to taste, until translucent.
5. Add garlic and saute until fragrant.
6. Add chicken broth, bay leaf, cheese rind, and rosemary; strain beans and add them in, too.
7. Simmer, uncovered, until beans are tender, about one hour.
8. Meanwhile, prepare kale and carrots (and tomatoes, if using fresh).
9. When beans are tender, add in sausage, carrots, tomatoes, and kale, simmer 15 minutes or until kale is tender.

Notes

This is adapted from a recipe from our CSA box. Sara 05:00, 18 February 2013 (UTC)