Tuscan Sausage And Bean Soup

Total Time: 1 hr 25 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 1 head escarole, cored
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3/4 lb italian sausage
• 1/2 cup chopped spanish onion
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 teaspoons dry thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups homemade chicken stock or 3 cups canned low-sodium chicken broth
• salt and pepper

Recipe

• 1 1.blanche the escarole in boiling water for 1 minute. rinse it in cold water.
• 2 2.preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• 3 3.heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. add italian sausage and brown it on both sides.
• 4 4.bake the italian sausage in the oven for approximately 12-15 minutes or until it is cooked through. drain excess oil from the sausage. allow the sausage to cool and then chop it into bite-sized pieces.
• 5 5.in a medium stock pot, combine the onion, the carrots, the garlic, the water and the 2nd tablespoon of olive oil. simmer the mixture over medium heat until the onions are clear.
• 6 6.stir in the thyme, bay leaf, cannellini beans and chicken stock. bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
• 7 7.take half of the mixture and purée it in a food processor or blender.
• 8 8.return the puréed mixture to the stock pot. stir in the sausage and the escarole. add salt and pepper to taste.
• 9 9.simmer for an additional 5 minutes and serve.
• 10 10.this makes 6 large servings or 8 medium-size.