Bacon & Sausage Soup

My family was out of town this weekend for a campout and while I initially thought I’d cook up a storm, ultimately I realized I didn’t want to wash a single unnecessary dish and therefore didn’t cook a thing.

But by the time they rolled in on Sunday, I was aching to get back into the kitchen, and so in between making pumpkin muffins with Little GG and whipping up her favorite pasta for dinner, I pulled together this soup.

This is the fourth or fifth time I’ve made this soup and along the way I’ve found some short cuts and time savers. Experimenting with the greens revealed a winner: arugula. Initially I liked the kale but in the end, the prickly texture was a no-go.

This makes about six dinner-sized portions. By now, it’s been in the fridge a few days so I divided the rest into containers which I then shoved in to the freezer. San Diego is foggy today but tomorrow it could be sunny. In which case I’ll go back to not cooking.

Bacon & Sausage Soup

This hearty soup is a meal on its own but even better with fresh bread and butter and a glass of red wine. To save time, substitute one package of precut onion and garlic mix from your market.

4-5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided in half
¾ pound hot Italian-style pork sausage, removed from casings
¾ pound good-quality bacon, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 medium California sweet onion, chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 pound red-skinned potatoes, skin on, sliced
½ bag Arugula, cleaned (baby spinach or kale work, too)
1 cup heavy cream
Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

1. Warm a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add 2-3 tablespoons olive oil. Once the olive oil is heated, add the sausage, crumbling it into the pot. Brown until the meat is cooked through. Drain on a plate covered with paper towels. Carefully dispose of the fat.
2. Meanwhile, warm a skillet over medium-high heat and add the chopped bacon, sautéing until browned. Drain on a plate covered with paper towels. Carefully dispose of the fat.
3. In the Dutch oven, warm 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and the onions and cook until they begin to soften, about 5-8 minutes.
4. Add the chicken broth to the pot, increase heat to just about high, and bring to a low boil. Once the broth boils, add the potatoes and reduce heat to medium. Simmer the potatoes until just tender, about 10-15 minutes (test for doneness with a fork).
5. Add the sausage, bacon, arugula and heavy cream to the pot and simmer until the arugula is tender, about 10 minutes.
6. Serve immediately.