Black Bean, Sausage & Sweet Potato Soup

I had a plan. Big day of skiing, see if I can wear out the dog and make a batch of black bean soup. Beans were soaking.  All I needed to do was go work up an appetite. Despite the sunshine it was pretty chilly, in the low teens with a stiff North wind. Soup was calling. My plan only went as far as the beans. Time to rummage the fridge. I got a new meat grinder the other day (thanks to Laurie) and made some spicy Italian sausage. I found some savoy cabbage, leeks, and carrots.  I got some sweet potatoes that love black beans. Add a little fresh dill and I am good to go.

Soup is better the next day, thats a fact. I read it "in a book".

Let's make some soup. Quietly, the dog is sleeping.

2 hours total time   active time 30 minutes    makes 2 qts   Serves 8    Cost cheap its soup

You will need:to plan ahead a little and soak beans, your best soup making pot, your best bean cooking pot.

• 1 cup dried black beans soaked in water
• 1/2 lb of hot Italian sausage
• 1 onion small dice
• 1 nice carrot small dice
• 2 celery ribs peeled and small dice
• 3 inch piece of leek, washed and small dice
• 1/4 head of cabbage small dice
• 1 big or two small sweet potatoes peeled small dice
• 1T OJ concentrate
• 1 T fresh dill dry dill is pretty bland I would use parsley before dry
• creme fraiche or sour cream or even unsweetened whipped cream as a garnish

Cook the beans in 5 cups of water or stock until tender. This takes a while so get on it. This will give you time to cut all your vegetables.

Cook your sweet potatoes in simmering salted water until cooked through. Strain and put on a sheet pan to stop the cooking process, no need to rinse

Heat your best heavy bottomed soup making pot with moderate heat. Add sausage stirring often and breaking up into small pieces.

Do not forget to season along the way

Add onion and carrot, cook until soft, about 3 minutes

Add leeks cook until soft, about 3 minutes

Add cabbage and cook another 8- 10 minutes

When the beans are cooked use an immersion blender and puree (They are still in the bean pot)

Add the beans to the vegetable /sausage mixture

Add the OJ concentrate and dill

Taste, season, taste again

Comments

[altagirl]

Wow - I wish I had a friend like your friend Laurie!!

[altagirl]

BTW - The soup looks and sounds amazing, did your friend Laurie get to taste it since it was thanks to her that you made it?

[Gerry Nooney]

I just happen to have some left, you may be in luck