I know how to make sausage, and now that I’ve seen how laws are made, I’ll stick with sausage.
Tom Colicchio

Again something easy for lazy summer days dinner whether it is hot or not, a delicious bowl of soup, salad, and warm garlic rolls…
Another quick dinner idea with what I have on hand and a quick trip to “The Farm at Bogue” for fabulous salad goodies.  Many of our guest chefs over at the cooking club have quick soup and meal ideas for busy folks or people that want just a short stint in the kitchen but want better than a same-o-same-o carry-out.

Following the theme of needs and wants again using what I have on hand for the main dish I collected a few pantry and spice items to go with my pound of sausage knowing that Mike would like a bowl of soup at any time, dinner would not disappoint.

Keep in mind that the grocery store will have many prepared ingredients including little bundles of fresh herbs ready to go take advantage of that making it even easier on yourself or add some of your favorite soup ingredients to the list or go total veggie if you like just ad for vegetables…

Today’s soup ingredients list includes:

1 tablespoon EVOO
1 pound of Italian sausage casing removed or buy a pound of bulk Italian sausage
4 ounces diced pancetta (prepackaged at the deli section)
1 fennel bulb trimmed and thinly sliced
1 small leek halved and thinly sliced (white part only)
1/2 medium onion thinly sliced
1 small carrot, peeled, quartered and small dice
1 celery heart with at least 5 small ribs and leaves, thinly sliced
3 cloves of peeled garlic, thinly sliced
several leaves of fresh basil, oregano, and a small sprig of finely chopped rosemary leaves
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley and some extra for garnish
two cans drained and rinsed cannellini beans (I had precooked beans to finish) or use your favorite beans
32 ounces chicken stock or vegetable stock
1 can of diced San Marzano tomatoes
the little seashell pasta or other soup pasta
a piece of cheese rind
pinches of red pepper flakes to taste
32 ounces chicken stock
splashes of white wine to deglaze pan

Have everything prepped and ready to go and heat a soup pot, dutch oven, or all in one pan over medium heat, add the oil and saute the pancetta for about 3 minutes and then toss in the sausage, breaking up with a wooden spoon or spatula until sausage is not pink.  Add all of the prepared vegetables, sauté for 3 or so minutes, splash in the wine and cook for a couple of minutes to reduce the wine a bit, add the fresh herbs as well as the beans, tomatoes, cheese rind, pepper flakes if using, and 2 cups of the stock.  Stir and simmer for about 6 minutes adding more stock (about 1-1 and 3/4 cups), toss in the pasta simmer, and add stock until pasta is al dente…if the soup is as thick as you want, go for it, but I added all of the stock knowing that the soup would be my perfect thin this night and thicker for Mike tomorrow, whatever it is simple and easy.  Season and garnish as you please…Enjoy!