White bean & Kale soup with spicy sausage

A hearty and healthy soup perfect for Sunday afternoons or after extended hikes in the Himalayas.

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion
• 1 Lb. spicy Italian sausage
• 2 16oz cans cannellini beans or 2 packages of dry beans
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1 carrot
• 1 large bunch of kale
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock or bouillon
• Seasonings: White pepper, onion & garlic powder, salt & black pepper

Instructions:

In a large soup pot, lightly brown and crumble the sausage and remove grease. Finely chop the onion and carrot and add to pot with the sausage. Add the chopped garlic when the onions are mostly cooked. Season with S/P. Add the stock or produce from bouillon. Remove the large central vein from the kale, chop it up finely and add it to the pot. Season with a 1/2 tsp. of each of the dry seasonings. If you like a little extra kick add some red pepper flakes.  If you’re using canned beans, drain and add them. I generally prefer to prepare dry beans in my own vegetable broth. They have tons of flavor and superior texture. But we just don’t always have time for that step. Keep the pot on low heat, stirring every 20 minutes for the next couple hours while you clean the house or watch the game.

The bowl pictured is topped with crumbled feta cheese and extra black pepper. Enjoy.

Extra love can be included in the form of a smoked turkey wing. We used to smoke turkeys in Maine and then use the wings to flavor spicy collard greens.  Making broth from the smoked turkey bones and freezing it is also a great ingredient to have on hand. Omit the meat and use vegetable broth, boom, its a vegetarian dish.