Stone Soup

Recipe of the Month: Stone Soup

Recipe of the Month INGREDIENTS

  • 2 andouille sausages
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 carrots (chopped into bite sized pieces)
  • 3 celery stalks (chopped)
  • 1 turnip (chopped)
  • ½ large onion (chopped)
  • 3 garlic cloves minced
  • 1 1/2 cups potato(chopped)
  • 1 box (can) cannelloni beans
  • 1 cup lentils
  • 1 bunch kale
  • 32 ounces organic chicken stock
  • 1 bay leaf
  • S & P (to taste)
  • 1 parmesan rind (when you have grated your hunk of parmesan cheese to the point you feel you can no longer grate it – DON’T throw it away.  Instead, put it in a bag in the cheese drawer of your fridge.  Those rinds are amazing in various recipes –stews, risotto and especially soup!)

PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS

  • Squeeze the sausage out of the casing and brown in Dutch oven or big heavy pot – breaking into small pieces
  • When beginning to brown add the olive oil, the garlic and onions and sauté until soft
  • Add the carrots, celery, turnip, and potatoes- toss to evenly coat with the oil and then sauté till beginning to soften. Add the chicken stock, bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer.
  • Drain the beans and rinse, rinse the lentils and add both to the pot.
  • Put in the bay leaf, parmesan rind, and salt and pepper.
  • Cut the Kale away from the stems. Chop the stems into small pieces and add to the soup.  Slice the kale into thin strips and add to the soup.
  • Simmer for 30 minutes. Take out the bay leaf and parmesan rind. Serve with garlic bread.

NOTES

You may be wondering why this is called Stone Soup – there are no stones in it!  Years ago, when my kids were young there was a book we would read – especially in the winter (just seemed like a winter story). In the story, 3 soldiers who were tired and hungry come to a poor village. The people said they had nothing to share, but then the soldiers taught them how to make a great “stone soup” by getting each villager to bring a small contribution to the soup.  In the end, it was a wonderful soup enjoyed by all.  All of the ingredients in this soup reminded me of that story.

Posted in Recipe of the Month.