Vargr
Vargr
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Vargr's “Not Really Zuppa Tuscana Anymore†soup
We were having a "Schwan's" lasagna last night. Vargr's found their products quite good, though their portion sizes are somewhat optimistic. Though the roomie and I love the lasagna, a 'family size', 4-person package is barely enough on it's own to satisfy two hungry guys. So wuff figured he'd supplement it with something, and what better than some Italian-inspired soup?
It just happened that Wuffy's favorite “pressure cooker†mailing list had just posted a recipe called “Zuppa Tuscana†(original recipe will follow wuff's variation here). An Italian flavored dish from the Tuscan region. Perfect! Unfortunately, wuffy didn't quite have everything in the pantry the recipe called for, and as usual, Vargr had to "play with it" while making it, adding a bit here and there.
Wuff also took the opportunity to "clean out" some of the fridge's veggie drawer and leftovers. What resulted was a, hearty, rich soup full of all sorts of flavor! Wow! This is SOME DANG GOOD SOUP!
Here's Vargr's version of the “Not really Zuppa Tuscana Anymore†soup. This is altered to cook in a Pressure Cooker, but it's super-simple to do in a slow cooker, or on the stove.
Wuff will add the appropriate changes for those after the recipe.
“Not Really Zuppa Tuscana Anymore†Soup
Ingredients:
4 slices bacon, cut into a small dice
1 pound hot Italian sausage, ground or links with casings removed
1 large yellow onion, diced
5-6 cloves garlic, minced (or 4 if you don't like garlic as much as wuffy!)
1 quart chicken broth or stock
3 cups Russet potatoes, cubed (may also substitute Red or Gold waxy potatoes)
sea or kosher salt and fresh black pepper
1 package (~6 oz) fresh baby spinach
1 cup heavy cream or 14 ounce can evaporated (NOT sweetened condensed) milk
1 can (15 oz)Garbanzo beans
1 can (15 oz) “French Cut†green beans
1 sm can (4 oz) “stems & pieces†mushrooms
3 sm carrots, sliced thin 3 stalks celery, sliced thin
1/2 can (~5 oz from 10oz can) Ro-Tel (original flavor) diced tomatoes & peppers
1/2 can (~6 oz) green peas
1 ring (1 lb) Kielbasa sausage, sliced into 3/4†segments
1 heaping tsp Garlic Garni seasoning
1/2 tsp dried Oregano
1/3 tsp Savory Parmesan cheese, grated, for serving
Directions:
1. In a 6 qt (or larger) pressure cooker, cook bacon over medium until crispy. Add sausage and break it apart as it cooks. Once sausage is browned and crumbled drain off the grease leaving a tablespoon or two to saute the veggies.
2. Push the meat to the edges of the pot and add onion, carrots and celery to center; saute until translucent; add garlic; saute until fragrant.
3. Stir in broth and “deglaze†all the nice flavorful brown bits from the bottom of the pot; add potatoes and all remaining veggies EXCEPT the green peas and spinach; season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and the remaining spices
4. Bring to boil, cover, and allow pressure cooker to come to working (high) pressure simmer; reduce heat to “maintenance†level and cook at pressure for ~7 minutes; reduce pressure quickly (running stove top unit under cold water), or “quick release†for electric unit).
5. Remove lid and return to stove/heat; add spinach, peas, and evaporated milk. Bring to a simmer.
Serve with Parmesan cheese and crusty bread.
(Alternate instructions for stove top or slow cooker)
A. Use a heavy pot for steps 1 & 2 instead of pressure cooker
B. If using slow cooker, deglaze as described in step 3, then pour mixture into slow cooker and follow remaining steps using slow cooker; cook for approximately 5 hours, or until potatoes are tender.
C. If simmering on stovetop, follow steps 1 thru 3, and cook at moderate boil in step 4 for about 20 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
D. Add spinach, peas, and milk to mixture about 5 minutes prior to serving.
Alternates and Variations:
- Substitute kale for the spinach
- Substitute frozen Italian meatballs for the Kielbasa
- Substitute heavy cream for the canned evaporated milk
ORIGINAL “ZUPPA TUSCANA†recipe
4 slices bacon, cut into a small dice
1 pound hot Italian sausage, ground or links with casings removed
1 large yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups (32 ounces) chicken broth or stock
3 cups Russet potatoes, cubed
sea or kosher salt and fresh black pepper
2 loose packed cups kale, in bite size pieces
1 cup heavy cream or 14 ounce can evaporated milk
Parmesan cheese, grated, for serving
1. In a large soup pot or sauce pan cook bacon over medium until crispy. Add sausage and break it apart as it cooks. Once sausage is browned and crumbled drain off the grease leaving a tablespoon or two to saute onion.
2. Push the sausage to the edges of the pot and add onion to center; saute until translucent; add garlic; saute until fragrant.
3. Stir in broth and potatoes, season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, simmer for about 20 minute or until potatoes are tender.
4. Add kale and heavy cream or evaporated milk. Bring to a simmer.
Serve with Parmesan cheese and crusty bread.
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We grow not old, so long as we continue to chase our dreams.
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