Sausage and Red Russian Kale Soup

Sausage and Red Russian Kale Soup

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS

  • large onion, chopped
  • 2-3 tsp. olive oil (depending on your pan)
  • 2 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary (or use 1 tsp. dried rosemary, crushed)
  • 3 tsp. finely chopped fresh sage (or use 1 1/2 tsp. dried rubbed sage)
  • 1 T finely minced garlic
  • 12 oz. Colosimo’s Tuscan Sausage (3 links) or use other sausage type of your choice; turkey sausage is best for South Beach Diet
  • 10 cups chicken stock (I use homemade chicken stock but you can use canned or bottled chicken broth)
  • 2 cans diced tomatoes with juice (14.5 oz. can)
  • 1/4 cup tomato sauce (freeze the rest if you’re opening a can)
  • 1 tsp. Vegeta seasoning (optional, but good in soups like this)
  • fresh ground black pepper to taste
  • 1 large bunch Red Russian Kale or other type kale, washed well and finely chopped
  • 2 cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed well (15 oz. can) (omit for Paleo)
  • freshly grated parmesan for serving (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Heat 2 tsp. olive oil in heavy frying pan over medium heat, then add chopped onion and saute 3-4 minutes, until onion is soft. Lower heat a little and add garlic, chopped rosemary, and chopped sage, and saute 2-3 minutes more. Put onion-herb mixture into large soup pot with 10 cups chicken stock and start to simmer.
Add 1 more tsp. olive oil to frying pan if needed and turn heat back to medium. Squeeze sausage out of casings and cook, breaking apart with metal turner, until sausage is browned and well broken apart. Add sausage to pot with simmering chicken stock. Add canned tomatoes and juice, tomato sauce, black pepper, and Vegeta seasoning if using. Simmer about 30 minutes over low heat.

While soup simmers, wash kale, spin or shake dry, and finely chop into ribbons, then turn cutting board and chop again going the opposite way. Drain chickpeas (garbanzos) into metal colander placed in the sink and rinse with cold water until no more foam appears.

After about 30 minutes, add kale and garbanzos to simmering soup mixture. Simmer about 45 minutes more, until kale is completely softened, and all flavors are well blended. Serve hot. This would be great with freshly grated Parmesan.

RECIPE AND IMAGE CREDIT: Kalyn’s Kitchen

http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2008/11/sausage-and-red-russian-kale-soup.html