Rainy days are the best days for a bowl of nice hot soup. This is one of my fave and the sole reason why I go to Olive Garden. Now all I need to make are the bread sticks.
(Olive Garden's) Zuppa Toscana Soup
(adapted from many variations)
ingredients
- 1 lb. spicy Italian sausage, casing removed
- 3 bacon
- 2 (32 oz) chicken stock
- 2 lg. red potatoes, sliced (you can also use Russet Potato, peeled and diced)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 bunch of kale, cut into bite sized
- 2/3 cup cream
- 6 cups water
- pinch of fennel
- a dash of red pepper flakes
- salt and pepper
1. Bring chicken stock and water to a light boil and add potatoes.
2. In a skillet cook bacon until somewhat done and remove bacon.
3. Sauté the onion in the bacon rendering until almost caramelized (golden color). Remove and put in boiling stock.
4. In the same skillet add olive oil and cook Italian sausage (with casings removed).
Add garlic with the sausage and cook until sausage is done and the consistency of ground hamburger meat. Drain the oil then add mixture to the stock.
5. By this time check to see if potatoes are cooked, when they are done reduce heat and add cream and kale, salt, fennel, red pepper, black pepper.