A Texas cold front blows in. Temperatures drop by 40 degrees in one day. The local grocery stores run out of chili fixings. What’s a girl to do?
Make soup! Specifically greens and sausage soup.
I have ridiculous olfactory and tasting senses, so, one of the joys of eating out, which we rarely do, is figuring out the recipe to whatever I’m eating that tickles my fancy. The Suppa Toscana, or Soup from Tuscany, at The Olive Garden, is one of my favorites. The following steps will transport you to an olive grove anywhere in the Mediterranean, sitting around a woodburning fire place, with a warm mug of soup in your hand, and a crusty loaf of bread, keeping warm by the fire.
1. Saute sausage, chopped onion, minced garlic, and spices in a large soup pot or dutch oven.
2. Cube potatoes into bite size pieces and add to the pot. In a pinch, I use a bag of cubed frozen hashbrowns.
3. Stir in the flour.
4. Add chicken broth, or whatever kind of broth you have on hand, and milk. Stir well till flour is incorporated with the liquids.
5. Add chopped greens and saute till tender. I use swisschard since I always have it in the garden and sometimes I add spinach. The Olive Garden uses Kale.
6. Simmer till almost done.
7. Add the cream when greens and potatoes are tender.
8. Stir in grated parmesan at the end.
What’s in your soup pot tonight?
1 1/2 lbs italian sausage
1 onion
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsps salt
4 cloves garlic, mashed
2 T flour
3 cups whole milk
4 cups chicken broth
2 lbs potatoes
1 large bunch greens, (I like extra)
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan, extra for toppings