Soup weather in the Northeast
It's cold here in the Northeast, with predictions of more snow tonight. What's better on a frigid evening but a bowl of hot soup? This is a recipe from Rachel Ray. She calls it a "Stoup" which I think is ridiculous. Call a soup, a soup. I have adjusted her recipe to our tastes -- eliminated the wine and made the herbs optional. I also use turkey sausage to reduce the fat content. It is a hearty and different soup - the fennel is fantastic - for when you're tired of your usual chicken, vegetable and other soup recipes.
Fennel, Sausage, and Potato Soup (Adapted from Every Day with Rachel Ray)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound uncooked sweet Italian sausage ( I use turkey to reduce the fat.)
1 onion, chopped
1 large fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced (reserve a handful of fronds, chopped)
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 fresh or dried bay leaf
Salt and freshly ground pepper
6 cups chicken broth
3 Idaho or russet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds), peeled and thinly sliced
Optional chopped herbs: 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, handful of flat-leaf parsley
1. In a large soup pot, heat the oil, over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and brown. Add the onion, fennel, garlic and bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with a bit of the stock, stirring for about 2 minutes, then add the rest of the broth, cover and bring to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook, uncovered, until tender, about 10 minutes.2. Turn off the heat, adjust the seasonings and top the soup with the chopped fennel fronds, basil and parsley. This is great with crusty bread and topped with a little grated Parmesan.About 4 servings
Additional thoughts: It took a little longer than 10 mins for me to get the potatoes tender. Remember to remove your bay leaf! We had a lovely pumpernickel bread and cheddar cheese with it. It was delicious!
