Zuppa Toscana (Olive Garden’s Italian Sausage and Potato Soup) – Bupkis.org

Source: bupkis.org

Ingredients

Ingredients:

• 2 Pounds Low-starch potatoes , washed, eyes removed and sliced into 1/4 inch disks. Peeling is optional.
• 2 Pounds Hot and/or Sweet Italian Sausage Links
• 1 Large Bunch Kale (it looks like a lot but will cook down)
• 1 Large Yellow Onion, diced small
• 2 T Garlic, mashed. Approx 8 cloves (see instructions)
• 8 Ounces Half and Half
• 4 Cups Reduced Sodium Chicken Stock
• 6 Cups Water
• 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Red Pepper (to taste)
• 3/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt (to taste)

Instructions

1. Fill a large pot with water, bring it to a rolling boil and add some salt – about the same amount of salt as if you were making pasta. Fill a large bowl with cold water and some ice. Put a large colander in the sink.
2. Cut the base off the head of kale and roughly tear the leaves into 2″ pieces, discarding the hard portion of the rib, and place in the colander for later. Olive Garden leaves the rib in, but I think it’s too big and hard to put on a soup spoon.
3. Place the garlic in a mortar and pestle with a heavy pinch of kosher salt and mash until liquid, or finely mince, then grind with the back edge of a knife. You need at least two heaping Tablespoons of mashed garlic when you’re done.
4. Cut the raw sausage into 1/2 inch chunks with shears or a knife. Add a little oil to the bottom of a large pot. Add the sausage. Sauté on medium until fully cooked and you have developed a good deal of fond (brown stuff) on the bottom of the pot.
5. Pour off grease as necessary and build as much fond as possible without burning or drying out the sausage.
6. Remove the sausage and save. Pour off the excess fat, leaving just enough to coat the bottom of the pot.
7. Drop all the kale into the boiling salted water. Wait a few seconds until the kale turns bright green, then immediately dump the boiling water and kale into the colander in the sink. Then dump the hot, drained kale into the bowl of ice water and swish it around. Dump the chilled kale into the colander to drain.
8. Add the finely diced onions and sauté on medium until soft, nicely browned, and more fond develops.
9. Add the garlic and continue stirring until just fragrant and soft (probably about a minute). Be careful to not to burn or brown the garlic. Add the ground red pepper and mix.
10. Add a small amount of water and deglaze the bottom of the pot (scrape up all the yummy brown bits).
11. Add the rest of the water, the chicken stock, the potatoes and sausage.
12. Bring to a slow simmer and continue simmering until the potatoes are soft.
13. Add the kale then turn off the heat.
14. Immediately before serving, add the half and half, and serve with some nice home-baked Ciabatta bread.

Quick Pozole

Source: bupkis-org.github.io
Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 2 tsp Vegetable Oil
• 19 ounce package Ground Turkey or Chicken 93% Fat Free
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 1 Jalapeño chile, seeded and minced
• 4 Garlic Cloves, minced
• 4 Cups Chicken Broth
• 3x 15.5 ounce cans Hominy – rinsed and drained.
• 1 28 Ounce Can Diced Tomatoes
• 1-2 Tbsp blended Canned Chile in Adobo – found in a can in the Mexican Food section of the grocery store
• 2 tsp Dried Oregano

Garnishes:

• 1/4 Cup Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
• 4 Radishes, cut into matchsticks
• 3 Scallions thinly sliced on the diagonal
• 1 Avocado, ripe
• Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 Lime, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Take the can of Chiles in Adobo and puree in a blender, spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
2. Heat the oil in a medium size pot until shimmering
3. Add the Ground Turkey, Onion and Jalapeño and saute on medium until turkey is cooked and onion is soft but not browned. Add Garlic and cook until garlic is softened, but not browned.
4. Add the Chicken Stock, Hominy, Tomatoes, 3-4 Tablespoons of mashed Chile in Adobo (to taste) and oregano, bring to a simmer, reduce heat and simmer uncovered until slightly thickened.
5. Serve in bowls with the garnishes. Be sure to squeeze a lime wedge into each serving; it really wakes up the flavors and brings the dish to an entirely new level.
6. Optional, add some Avocado slices.
7. Serve with Chile in Adobo on the side for people who like it spicier.

Kartoffelsupp (German Potato Soup with Sausage)

German Potato Soup with Bratwurst is an easy comforting recipe to add to your soup rotation this fall. It takes just 30 minutes to cook, and celebrates German cuisine, even if you can't get to Octoberfest.

Source: theviewfromgreatisland.com
Servings: 4 -6 servings
Prep: 15min
Cook: 30min
Total: 45min

Ingredients

• 2-3 bratwurst, (or other German sausage)
• olive oil
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 medium onion, (peeled and diced)
• 2 stalks celery, (diced)
• 2 medium carrots, (peeled and diced)
• 4 white waxy potatoes, ((like baby reds or Yukon Gold), peeled and diced)
• 1/4 head cabbage, (chopped)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried marjoram
• salt and fresh cracked pepper, (to taste)
• chopped fresh parsley, (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Put a drop of oil in a stock pot and brown off the sausages or brats. Let them get cook color on all sides, then add 2 cups of the chicken stock and bring up to a boil. Scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for about 10-12 minutes, until the brats are cooked. Remove the brats to a plate, and strain the broth and set aside. (I like to strain the broth because there will always be little bit and bobs floating around, and it's nicer without.) When the brats have cooled a bit, slice them.
2. Meanwhile add a tablespoon of oil to a a new soup pot and saute the onions, celery, and carrots for about 4-5 minutes, just until slightly softened but not browned, stirring often.
3. Add the potatoes, cabbage, and all 4 cups of the stock to the pan, along with the bay leaves, salt, pepper, and marjoram.
4. Bring up to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 10-15 minutes, or until veggies are almost tender. Take a taste to be sure. Add the sliced brats and simmer for another 5 minutes until everything is perfectly tender.
5. Taste to adjust the seasonings and serve hot with a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley.

Notes

Variations:
Stir in some sour cream, off the heat, to the finished soup.
Season with caraway seeds.
Add a leek, trimmed, diced, and well rinsed.
Add peeled and diced celeriac or turnip.
Puree the finished soup to a creamy consistency before adding the sausage.
Brighten the flavor with a small touch of apple cider vinegar.
*recipe adapted from Ren Behan