The Nights Who Say Soup: White Bean to e4

White Bean and Sausage Stew
King Arthur Flour
3 cups (1 pound) white beans, soaked in water overnight, washed and drained
8 cups (2, 32 ounce containers) chicken or vegetable broth
2 cups (16 ounces) water
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 pound spicy turkey sausage or highly flavored sausage, sliced
1 1/2 cups (7 1/2 ounces) onion, diced
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) celery, diced
2 cups (8 ounces) sweet potato, diced
1 pound kale, chopped or 2, 10 ounce packages frozen kale
1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) signature secrets culinary thickener* (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste.
Parsley or green onions, for garnish

Place beans, broth, water and vinegar in a large pot, bring to a simmer and then cook for 50-60 minutes until the beans are soft. Check often and add extra water if needed.

In a separate pan, sauté the sausage. Pour off most of the fat and set the sausage aside. Sauté the onion, and celery until translucent. Add the sautéed onions, celery, sausage, diced sweet potato, kale and signature secrets culinary thickener if you are using it, to the beans and continue to simmer until the sweet potato is tender, about 30 minutes.

Taste, add salt and pepper if desired. Serve with a sprinkle of fresh parsley or green onion *Signature secrets thickens the soup so that the broth does not leak if served in bread bowls.
Yield: about 3 1/2 quarts stew, about 12, 1 1/4 cup servings

I didn't have any of their 'Signature secrets thickener' stuff, so I just made a whole lot of roux to start with. About 8oz butter/8oz flour, I think. I used some Italian sausage from the farmer's market, but I think a 'sturdier' sausage might have been better - like maybe kielbasa or even andouille. Also I substituted baby spinach for kale because that's what we had on hand. The sweet potato was a nice touch - something a little different from your standard 'carrots and potatoes' stew veggies.

I also made bread bowls, but I can't find the recipe now, and they didn't turn out very...bowl shaped. Bread discuses. They tasted really good, though.

White Bean and Sausage Stew