Zuppa Toscana

Soup, glorious, soup!    I've got another terrific soup recipe for you to add to your lineup.  This time it's a spicy blend of sausage, garlic, potato, kale and parmesan.

It's a nice change from chicken soup.

Plus, it has greens in it.    Greens are good for you.    And they're pretty.  

Zuppa Toscana
www.rurification.com

• 1 lb ground sausage, as spicy as you like
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1/4 cup flour
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 4 cups water
• 4 potatoes peeled and cubed [or more, if you like]
• fresh kale, torn up into small pieces.  [8-16 oz.]  or spinach.  
• 1 cup milk, half and half or cream
• grated parmesan cheese

Cook up the sausage, breaking it apart into small pieces.

In a bigger pot, boil the potatoes in the chicken stock and water.

When the sausage is almost cooked, drain off some of the grease and add the onion and garlic.    Cook until soft.    Add flour and mix well.   Add 2 cups of the chicken stock out of the potato pot and stir and cook until it begins to thicken, about 10 minutes.   It's a roux!

When the potatoes are cooked through, add the sausage roux to the bigger pot and stir well.   Add the kale and cook until soft.   Add the milk and stir well.   Heat through and serve with grated parmesan cheese and a nice crusty bread. 

Notes:   You can make this spicier by adding a teaspoon or so of red pepper flakes when you cook the onions, or by using really spicy sausage.    Also, if you can't find kale [or don't like it], use spinach instead.   It's just as green, just as good for you and just as pretty.