Organic Escarole, Sweet Italian Sausage, and Cannellini Bean Soup
This post is the third in my collaboration with Worden Farm, a family-run, organic farm in Punta Gorda, Florida, and features their organic escarole.
I’ve been making this soup since the 80’s but back then used spinach and added diced tomatoes. Over time I’ve come to appreciate the slight bitterness of escarole and replaced the spinach with it. I also stopped using tomatoes so that I could bring that bitterness out more. Compared to this soup my first ones with the spinach and tomatoes were much sweeter.
If added just a couple of minutes before serving, the white ribs of the escarole leaves will retain their crispness, adding a bit of crunch to contrast the creaminess of the beans.
By the way, if you use canned beans you can make this soup in 30 minutes from start to finish!
INGREDIENTS
- 2 heads of organic escarole, washed and cut into 1-2 inch segments
- 4-6 links of sweet Italian sausage (remove the casings and discard them), cut into 1-inch segments
- 2 cans organic cannellini beans
- 1-quart low-sodium, organic chicken stock
- 2 cups water
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 (or more) cloves of garlic, minced
- 1-3 segments Parmesan Reggiano rind (if available) (see Note below)
- 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan Reggiano (in soup if rind not available) (see Note below)
- 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Crush red pepper flakes (optional)
- Grated Parmesan Reggiano for garnish (but be careful as you may end up over salting your soup)
DIRECTIONS
Preparation:- Remove and discard outer, possibly discolored leaves of the heads of escarole.
- Wash, drain and cut the escarole into 1-2 inch segments.
- Pour canned beans into colander, rinse and drain; set aside
- Dice 1 medium-sized yellow onion; set aside.
- Mince garlic; set aside
- Remove the outer casings of the sausage and cut the sausage into 1-inch segments; set aside.
Cooking:
- Heat large soup pot on medium-high, when hot, add the olive oil and sausage segments, cook until browned on all sides. (about 5-7 minutes)
- Remove sausage using slotted spoon.
- Remove all but one tablespoon of rendered fat from pot.
- Add onions, cook until translucent.
- Add garlic, cook about 1 minutes.
- Return sausage to the pot.
- Add the chicken stock, water, beans, and red pepper flakes (if desired).
- Add the Parmesan Reggiano rind/s (or grated if rind not available), and red pepper flakes if desired; cook for 10 minutes.
- Note: At this point, you’re probably going to take a taste and think that it needs salt but DO NOT add salt because as the rind (or grated cheese) cooks it will begin to release it’s salt (and it is salty). Let the soup cook for the 10 minutes then…
- Remove rind/s.
- Season to taste with black pepper.
- Season to taste with kosher salt if needed; you may not.
- Add escarole pieces no more than 1-2 minutes before serving.
- This way they will retain their color and crispness.
- The soup is ready!
ENJOY!
Organic Escarole, Sweet Italian Sausage, and Cannellini Bean Soup
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