Zuppa Toscana
January 11th 2014
As part of my "Soup to Share" Initiative, I thought this hearty, healthy and unique Zuppa Toscana would be a great way to start. In the winter time there is no better balanced meal than a great hearty soup. But, don't you get tired of the same soups over and over? Or the soup you do like is loaded with carbs and fat? This is a great soup to start the new year. I actually had a Kale salad for the first time last week and it was actually pretty good. So, since kale is packed with so many good-for-you-things, I thought
Zuppa Toscana
Ingredients:
1 bunch of kale, chopped into small bite-sized pieces
12 oz package of chicken sausage (Al fresco brand with roasted garlic onions and herbs)
2 links of polish kielbasa
8 oz hardwood smoked bacon
2 russet potatoes, chopped into 1 in. cubes
1/2 cup assorted grape tomatoes
8 cups of chicken stock (no sodium)
2 cups of water
2 (14.5oz) cans of cannelini beans
1 cup of half and half or heavy cream
1 vidalia onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 TBSP butter
1 TBSP flour
1 TBSP sugar
1 TBSP oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp red pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
Romano cheese for garnish
Directions:
1. Slice your sausages in half and then into quarters. Add 1 TBSP butter to your pot and melt. Add the sausages and brown. Remove sausage
2. Dice your onion and chop up your bacon. Add both to your pot with the sausage fat. This will naturally deglaze your pot. Add a little salt and pepper here. Your heat should be on medium to make sure you don't brown the onion too fast.
3. Cook you onion and bacon about 10 minutes or until onions are soft and bacon has just started to crisp.
4. Add 1 TBSP butter and then 1 TBSP of flour. Mix and cook about 2 minutes to thicken this mixture.
5. Add your beans, potatoes, tomatoes, kale, chicken stock and water. Add all of your seasonings including the parsley.
6. Simmer soup for at least 60 minutes or up to 2 hours. You want to taste to make sure your kale is tender.
7. Add back in the sausage and then stir in the cream. Continue to cook for another 10 minutes.
8. Serve with a sprinkle of romano cheese on top
I did not have this wine with the soup but I thought this one was worth sharing. This is a good wine with any meat dish and probably would be great with this soup.
Reckless Optimism
2012
Red Wine Blend
California
55% Merlot, 30% Zinfandel, 15% Syrah
As part of my "Soup to Share" Initiative, I thought this hearty, healthy and unique Zuppa Toscana would be a great way to start. In the winter time there is no better balanced meal than a great hearty soup. But, don't you get tired of the same soups over and over? Or the soup you do like is loaded with carbs and fat? This is a great soup to start the new year. I actually had a Kale salad for the first time last week and it was actually pretty good. So, since kale is packed with so many good-for-you-things, I thought
Zuppa Toscana
Ingredients:
1 bunch of kale, chopped into small bite-sized pieces
12 oz package of chicken sausage (Al fresco brand with roasted garlic onions and herbs)
2 links of polish kielbasa
8 oz hardwood smoked bacon
2 russet potatoes, chopped into 1 in. cubes
1/2 cup assorted grape tomatoes
8 cups of chicken stock (no sodium)
2 cups of water
2 (14.5oz) cans of cannelini beans
1 cup of half and half or heavy cream
1 vidalia onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 TBSP butter
1 TBSP flour
1 TBSP sugar
1 TBSP oregano
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp red pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
Romano cheese for garnish
Directions:
1. Slice your sausages in half and then into quarters. Add 1 TBSP butter to your pot and melt. Add the sausages and brown. Remove sausage
2. Dice your onion and chop up your bacon. Add both to your pot with the sausage fat. This will naturally deglaze your pot. Add a little salt and pepper here. Your heat should be on medium to make sure you don't brown the onion too fast.
3. Cook you onion and bacon about 10 minutes or until onions are soft and bacon has just started to crisp.
4. Add 1 TBSP butter and then 1 TBSP of flour. Mix and cook about 2 minutes to thicken this mixture.
5. Add your beans, potatoes, tomatoes, kale, chicken stock and water. Add all of your seasonings including the parsley.
6. Simmer soup for at least 60 minutes or up to 2 hours. You want to taste to make sure your kale is tender.
7. Add back in the sausage and then stir in the cream. Continue to cook for another 10 minutes.
8. Serve with a sprinkle of romano cheese on top
I did not have this wine with the soup but I thought this one was worth sharing. This is a good wine with any meat dish and probably would be great with this soup.
Reckless Optimism
2012
Red Wine Blend
California
55% Merlot, 30% Zinfandel, 15% Syrah
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