This soup comes together in minutes. Sausage and beans are a classic combination – the anise seed has a light licorice flavor which complimented both the tomato and sausage nicely, and the honey mellowed it all out. I got home late on Saturday afternoon, just in time to put this soup together, invite friends, tidy the house and build a fire – talk about a perfect combination.
1 1/2 pounds sweet Italian sausage (about 6 links), cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup diced onion (I use frozen)
1 teaspoon anise seed
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup white wine
1 28 ounce can of petite dice tomatoes
2 15.5 ounce cans of Cannellini white beans, rinsed
3 stalks of celery sliced in 1/4 inch pieces
1 red pepper diced
1 tablespoon honey
1-2 teaspoons salt to taste
- In a 5 quart Dutch oven saute the onions and the sausage until browned but not cooked through
- Add the anise seed, bay leaves and the tomatoes
- Fill the empty tomato can with water and add that
- Add the celery and red pepper and stir
- Bring to a boil then simmer the soup for about an hour, stirring occasionally
I bought a big box of kiwi – a nice way to get your fiber and vitamin C
