Winter Vegetable and White Bean Soup with Sausages
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 leeks, finely sliced
10 cloves garlic, peeled and cut into small chunks
2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into small chunks
2 large carrots, peeled and neatly sliced
2 bay leaves
150g white beans, soaked for several hours in cold water (I used Sabarot mogrettes de Vendee, available from specialist food stores)
2 litres chicken stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
150g pumpkin, peeled and cut into small chunks
2 tablespoons chopped and pitted olives
6 small well-flavoured sausages
extra virgin olive oil
2 large tomatoes, peeled, cut into chunks and deseeded
handful fresh basil leaves
Parmesan cheese to serve
Description
This may be the heartiest soup you ever try. Lots of warming vegetables, some white beans and Italian-style sausages make this the perfect filling lunch on a cold day. If you would rather have tiny chunks of lamb or beef in the soup, feel free to add those.
Method
Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan and add the leeks and garlic. Cook for about 10minutes over a very low heat until the leeks soften. Add the potato and carrot chunks with the bay leaves and toss well in the oil.
Add the drained beans with the stock and set to a steady simmer for about 30minutes. At this time, add the salt and pepper to taste then the pumpkin chunks and olives, simmering slowly for a further 30minutes.
Brown the sausages separately in a little oil and cut into chunks. Adjust the seasoning to taste.
Add the tomato and sausages to the soup and cook for a further five minutes.
To serve, add tom basil leaves and serve with fresh crusty bread and grated Parmesan cheese.
Categories
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