Zuppa Toscana

This is Loris's brother Kelvin's recipe, adapted a little bit.

This was a huge hit with Rosemary and Linda. I had to forage in the garden by flash light to pick the kale, parsley and sage.

With kale, you have to wash very very carefully as there are little colonies on the back of the leaves. I use a scissor to cut the stems out and cut the leaves into pieces.

It's a quick soup --- as long as you have bacon and sausages in the freezer, you can do it in about 30 minutes. Bacon and sausages are much easier to slice while frozen, so don't thaw first.

You will have to make another pot -- it won't last long.

Serve with homemade brown bread and butter.

Zuppa Toscana

Ingredients:

2 small onions, chopped
6 slices bacon, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 - 6 mild or spicy Italian sausages, sliced
2 potatoes, cut into ½ inch cubes OR 2 to 3 cups cauliflower (I used my own Yukons from the garden -- they hold their shape)
3 cloves garlic, sliced into quarters lengthwise
1 cup beans of any kind (I used kidney beans, soaked the night before and cooked while I was making the soup)
2 cups tomatoes (fresh or canned), chopped
2 quarts chicken stock (I used my own stock from the freezer)
2 - 4 cups kale, and chopped into 2 inch pieces (or spinach)
5 - 6 sage leaves, without stems
Handful of flat leaved parsley, chopped, with stems
1 cup cream or sour cream (I used my own sour cream)

Instructions:
Heat a large soup pot on medium heat.
While waiting, slice bacon (frozen is fine) and chop onions.
When the pot rim is hot to the touch, add onions and bacon and oil.
Saute until the onions are nearly clear. Stir frequently.
While waiting, cut the sausage and garlic.
Add sausage pieces and garlic and saute 5 minutes. Stir frequently.
Meanwhile, cut up the potatoes into 1/2 inch pieces (with peel)
Add potatoes, beans, tomatoes and stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are nearly done.
Meanwhile wash kale very thoroughly and cut into pieces removing the stems.
Roughly chop herbs. The sage leaves can be added whole but remove from stems. The parsley can be added stems and all, and roughly chopped.
Add kale and herbs and simmer another few minutes, til kale is cooked but still bright green.
Add cream and heat through.