Fumbling Toward Culinary Talent: Sausage and Bean Soup

A while ago I had picked up about two pounds of pork sausage from a meat market on the western edge of Mattoon, and I was trying to figure out a use for it. It was one of those deals where you buy a foodstuff you think you'll use, and then you get it home and think, "So how am I going to use two pounds of this rope sausage?"

So, since it's winter, I made soup.

Here are the ingredients:

1 lb. of pork sausage, cut into medallions

1 can great northern beans, drained

1 can navy beans, drained

4 tablespoons of tomato paste

1/2 yellow onion, julienned

2 carrots, chopped thinly

1 stalk of celery, chopped thinly

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup beef stock

4 cups of water

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning (Penzey's)

2 tablespoons Bouqet Garni (Penzey's)

2 tablespoons of smoked paprika

Salt and Pepper to taste

First cut up the sausage into rounds and brown them on both sides. After removing the sausage and letting them drain on paper towels, deglaze your pot (I used my cast iron dutch oven) with the beef stock and use a wooden spoon to scrape off the porcine goodness at the bottom of the pot.

Next, add the onions, carrots, and celery and cook for them on medium-high for five minutes. Add tomato paste and cook for another 2-4 minutes. Add the water, garlic, sausage medallions, beans, and herbs and spices and cook for approximately an hour.

The sausage I used was mild, but spicy Italian sausage or andouille would work well too.