Cold weather and soup seem to go hand in hand. If you're anything like me, you avoid going outside in subzero termperatures. I'm convinced I suffer from seasonal affect disorder and if I can't escape the dreary winter weather, I am most content curled up in mycomfiest pyjamas with a hot cup of tea or a steamy bowl of homemade soup. I have many favourites and some really great recipes including this one, which is easy, filling, and delicious. I haven't come up with a name for it yet, so feel free to suggest something if you feel inclined as it truly is worthy of a name. For now, I simply call it: Sausage, Potato and Rapini Soup and here is my recipe - though this soup is so versatile, I often make variations as I go along some of which I've noted in the ingredient list.
This soup freezes well so you'll want to freeze the leftovers to enjoy the next time there's a cold gloomy day and you have a hankering for some soup. If you're interested in learning the history of soup, click here!
If you fancy a glass of wine with your soup - and on a chilly night who doesn't - I would suggest a Sancerre from France's Loire Valley. It's a crisp wine with enough acid to pair perfectly with a salty broth. You could opt for a Sauvignon Blanc from South Africa, Chile or of course New Zealand, but a Sancerre is the wine in which these are styled after. Sancerre is one of my personal favourites as it tends to taste a little more pure than some other Sauvignon Blancs because of the minerality of the soil in which it's grown. Here is a great article if you want to learn more about Sancerre. If red wine is more your style, a lighter bodied red would be my recommendation. Perhaps a Beaujolais or a Pinor Noir. These wines are lower in tannins and won't steal the show from your dinner. They are also incredibly easy drinking wines.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (2 turns of a stock pot)
3 or 4 sausages (any kind you prefer but I usually use hot turkey sausage)
1 medium onion chopped
12 mini potatoes cut in quarters or 1 large potato cut into 1/2 inch pieces (I leave the skins on for added fibre)
4 cups of chopped rapini and greens with the hard stems removed (you can also use kale for a variation)
2 cloves of garlic minced (feel free to use more if you are a garlic lover)
2 cans of white beans drained and rinsed thoroughly (white kidney beans or navy beans are best)
2 medium sized carrots sliced (optional)
6 cups of chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional for some added heat)
Salt and pepper
Directions:
Using a medium sized soup pot, heat it to medium-high heat and add the olive oil. I never really measure the amount I just give it 2 rounds of the pot. Remove the sausages from their casings and add to the pot to brown. Break it up into smaller pieces as it cooks.
Once the sausage is cooked all the way through, add the beans, onion, garlic and potatoes. Season with some salt and pepper and add the bay leaf. Combine the ingredients and cook for about 5 minutes or until the vegetables start softening.
Add in the rapini and allow it to wilt.
Add in the chicken stock and red pepper flakes (if using) and cover the pot. Bring the soup to a boil then reduce to a simmer for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked.
Adjust seasoning as needed. You can add some grated parmigiano-reggiano or romano cheese if you like and be sure to have some crusty bread on hand for dunking. And voila! A super tasty meal from start to finish in about 30 minutes that is low in fat, high in fibre and loaded with flavour.
- Bon Appetit!
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