White Bean and Kale Soup

The Lacy Kitchen has recently reopened for business after a small renovation project has been completed. I decided to step up my cooking digs a little bit as we settle into our new home. We've upgraded counter tops, added some cabinetry, created bar seating and plans to change out lighting and tile the backsplash are currently under way. Unfortunately changing counter tops requires that plumbing be disconnected for 12 days hence the lack of Accidental Syrup posting activity... Now the oppressively hot days of July/August might not have you in the mood for soup- but for some reason, it sounded like a yummy way to use up some delicious summer veggies. John was on call and I had the evening to myself to putz in my new kitchen.... Ingredients: 3 tablespoons of olive oil 2 Adelle's Organic Italian style Chicken Sausage links (any Italian style or smoked sausage would do) - cut into small cubes 1/2 a large Vidalia onion- chopped 2 large cloves of garlic- grated 1/2 of a red bell pepper- chopped 2 ribs of celery- chopped 2 carrots- peeled, halved and cut into small pieces 1 bunch of kale-inner ribs removed and leaves torn into pieces 4 springs of fresh thyme- leaves removed 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 small zucchini- diced 1- 15 oz cans of Cannelinni beans- drained and rinsed 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper 1- 23oz carton of low sodium Vegetable Stock 2-3 cups of water There is something almost therapeutic about making soup... the prepping of all of the ingredients, layering them into the pot just so to ensure everything cooks evenly, and then patiently waiting for all of the flavors to marry together. There is lots of tasting and seasoning, tasting and re-seasoning... searching for that little something that might be missing. There is no fine science and the chances of making a soup exactly the same way twice are slim. I started with the olive oil over medium heat in a large heavy bottomed pot and then added the sausage and onion simultaneously. The sausage is already cooked through so I was really just trying to sweat some of the spicy savory flavor out of the sausage, browning it slightly as the onions softened to translucent. After about 5 minutes, I grated the garlic in with a rasp and then added the celery, peppers and carrots, thyme, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. I tossed it all together and let the veggies soften a few minutes while I rinsed the kale thoroughly. I then tore the kale into pieces- tossing them into the pot as I went. I tossed it all together and cooked 2-3 minutes until the kale was bright green and slightly wilted. I then added the stock, soy, water, and beans. I turned the heat up to medium-high and brought everything to a boil. After 5-10 minutes, I added the zucchini and let simmer at a low boil for another 5-10 minutes. As soon as the carrots and zucchini were tender, I turned the heat down to medium low and cooked 10-15 minutes more to be sure the beans and veggies soaked in lots of flavor, creating a more flavorful broth. I enjoyed the soup, doused generously in freshly grated parmesan cheese, alongside a simple salad of arugula and fresh radishes dressed with a quick lemon vinaigrette: Juice from half a lemon 1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons of olive oil 1/2 teaspoon of dijon vinegar (add a pinch of sugar if you don't like it really tart.. I do.) Light and healthy - hearty and delicious. Lots of left overs for the week. I actually froze 1/3 of the pot in an airtight tupperware container to enjoy another lazy day soon. Fall is just around the corner!