* Exported from MasterCook *
A hearty "Tuscan" soup, with sausage, potatoes, and chard
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Italian Soups & Stews
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/2 lb spicy Italian sausage -- links or bulk
6 slices bacon
1 large sweet yellow onion -- chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced -- about 2 teaspoons
3 large russet potatoes, peeled
2 quarts strong home-made chicken stock
--preferably made with roasted bones or
smoked chicken carcasses *
3 cups Swiss chard or kale -- chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon fennel -- optional
Bake sausage in a 300 degree F oven. for approximately 1/2 hour; drain on paper towels and cut into slices. Optionally, smoke the sausage when you have the smoker going, and put it back for just this purpose. Slice the links lengthwise, then cut into half-moon slices. You can remove the sausage from the casing and fry it in a skillet, breaking it up into pieces, if you prefer, or use bulk italian sausage.
Slice potatoes in half lengthwise, then into 1/4-inch slices. I slice mine in the food processor. Also nice cut into 1/2" to 3/4" dice, but we prefer the sliced.
Chop bacon into 1/2 inch pieces, and fry in dutch oven over medium heat until the bacon is crisp and grease has been released. Remove bacon, reserving grease in pot (PORK FAT - YEAH!). Add chopped onion to bacon grease and cook till onions are tender and transparent, and just turning golden. Add minced garlic, and cook for another minute or so, until it's really beginning to smell up the place. Add chicken broth, potatoes, and fennel if desired, and simmer until potatoes are tender. Scoop out a few cups of potatoes and broth, and puree in a blender (optional step) **. Add pureed broth back to pot. Add drained sausage, crumbled cooked bacon, salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for another 5 - 10 minutes. Turn to low heat, add chard and cream, heat through and serve. (We personally like our green-stuff cooked down a bit in the soup, so I add the chard or kale along with the sausage and bacon, simmering until the chard is a bit tender, and THEN add the cream.) Serve in large bowls with a bit of Parmigiano-Reggiano or even crumbled asiago cheese sprinkled on top.
*If you don't use a good homemade browned-bone stock, I strongly recommend using 4 cans of Campbell?s Healthy Request Ready-to-Serve Chicken Broth (16 oz cans). It is excellent, and was chosen by Cooks Illustrated's testers for the January 2004 issue as the best canned chicken broth on the market, hands down. It rated 29 points, whereas the 2nd runner-up and previous favorite Swanson Natural Goodness picked up only 19 points. Old faithful red-n-white label Campbell's Condensed Chicken Broth rated only 11 points on the judges' scale.
**You can skip the step about pureeing some of the potatoes and stock, if you like, and just leave all the potatoes sliced or chunky. I've done it both ways.
Keri C
Smokin on Tulsa Time, 10-24-2003
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NOTES : This started off as Copy-Cat's knock-off of the Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana, but I've modified it from original Copy-Cat version to suit our tastes for a more substantial bowl. Serve with crusty Italian bread.
A hearty "Tuscan" soup, with sausage, potatoes, and chard
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Italian Soups & Stews
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
1 1/2 lb spicy Italian sausage -- links or bulk
6 slices bacon
1 large sweet yellow onion -- chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced -- about 2 teaspoons
3 large russet potatoes, peeled
2 quarts strong home-made chicken stock
--preferably made with roasted bones or
smoked chicken carcasses *
3 cups Swiss chard or kale -- chopped
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon fennel -- optional
Bake sausage in a 300 degree F oven. for approximately 1/2 hour; drain on paper towels and cut into slices. Optionally, smoke the sausage when you have the smoker going, and put it back for just this purpose. Slice the links lengthwise, then cut into half-moon slices. You can remove the sausage from the casing and fry it in a skillet, breaking it up into pieces, if you prefer, or use bulk italian sausage.
Slice potatoes in half lengthwise, then into 1/4-inch slices. I slice mine in the food processor. Also nice cut into 1/2" to 3/4" dice, but we prefer the sliced.
Chop bacon into 1/2 inch pieces, and fry in dutch oven over medium heat until the bacon is crisp and grease has been released. Remove bacon, reserving grease in pot (PORK FAT - YEAH!). Add chopped onion to bacon grease and cook till onions are tender and transparent, and just turning golden. Add minced garlic, and cook for another minute or so, until it's really beginning to smell up the place. Add chicken broth, potatoes, and fennel if desired, and simmer until potatoes are tender. Scoop out a few cups of potatoes and broth, and puree in a blender (optional step) **. Add pureed broth back to pot. Add drained sausage, crumbled cooked bacon, salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for another 5 - 10 minutes. Turn to low heat, add chard and cream, heat through and serve. (We personally like our green-stuff cooked down a bit in the soup, so I add the chard or kale along with the sausage and bacon, simmering until the chard is a bit tender, and THEN add the cream.) Serve in large bowls with a bit of Parmigiano-Reggiano or even crumbled asiago cheese sprinkled on top.
*If you don't use a good homemade browned-bone stock, I strongly recommend using 4 cans of Campbell?s Healthy Request Ready-to-Serve Chicken Broth (16 oz cans). It is excellent, and was chosen by Cooks Illustrated's testers for the January 2004 issue as the best canned chicken broth on the market, hands down. It rated 29 points, whereas the 2nd runner-up and previous favorite Swanson Natural Goodness picked up only 19 points. Old faithful red-n-white label Campbell's Condensed Chicken Broth rated only 11 points on the judges' scale.
**You can skip the step about pureeing some of the potatoes and stock, if you like, and just leave all the potatoes sliced or chunky. I've done it both ways.
Keri C
Smokin on Tulsa Time, 10-24-2003
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
NOTES : This started off as Copy-Cat's knock-off of the Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana, but I've modified it from original Copy-Cat version to suit our tastes for a more substantial bowl. Serve with crusty Italian bread.