White Bean Cabbage and Sausage Soup

January 14, 2016 Ceri

Laura and I are in the thick of recipe testing and writing our second book. It’s an exciting time and I wish the final product weren’t so far off. We can’t wait to get it to you – it’s going to have some really great ideas and recipes. And it’s really about an approach that we think parents will appreciate. Ugh. Don’t you hate it when people talk about something they really can’t talk about? Enough!

All of this is to say that we’re very busy in our kitchens. So busy that we barely have time to cook the meals we need to make for our families. I have four containers of different trail mix combos on my counter that I’m tinkering with, but nothing for dinner. Or a roasting pan packed with a layered ratatouille, but breakfast is missing. It’s a bit ridiculous. You’d think there would be an easy way to coordinate the testing with the eating and yet…. it’s hard! By the third try on a recipe, no one in my home wants to eat the frittata I feel I’ve finally nailed.

So, while this is all going on, I’m either relying on recipes I’ve made a million times or really fast new additions. And this soup is one of those. I love it. I don’t think I love it enough for the next book but I really do love it. It’s perfect for this time of year. It’s hearty but not heavy and it’s quick to make. You could let it simmer away for hours but it’s perfectly delicious in about 25 minutes, too.

photo by Maya Visnyei

White Bean Cabbage and Sausage Soup

Ingredients

2 Tbsp olive oil
3 links of Italian sausage, sliced into bite-sized pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1/2 savoy or green cabbage (about 4 or 5 cups), sliced very thinly
1 x 15 oz can cannellini beans
1 litre low-sodium chicken stock
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp fresh thyme
pepper to taste
1/2 Parmesan cheese, grated

Method

Pour olive oil to a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausages to the pot and allow them to brown, pushing them around so they get colour all over. Remove from the pot and set aside on a clean plate.

Add the onions and garlic to the pot and cook them just until they begin to soften. Toss in the cabbage and stir it around for a couple of minutes.

Add the beans, stock, bay leaves and thyme. Return the sausage to the pot and allow everything to come to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes and check seasoning.

Serve with a sprinkling of Parmesan.

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