Do not make this as a one pan soup. You’ll end up with too much grease from the sausage. Recipes that call it one pan are flawed.
Cook 4 strips of thick cut bacon cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Remove to paper towel lined plate. Cook 1 pound of hot Italian sausage. Remove with the bacon. Pour off the grease. There’ll be a nice brown coating on the bottom of your Dutch oven. This is what you want; not grease.
Cook a chopped onion with a dash of salt. Add in 4 cloves of finely minced garlic and stir it around with the onions. Add a dash of crushed red chile and stir, then add 4 cups of chicken broth and 1 cup of water. A dash of salt and a few turns of black pepper. Increase the heat to high. Scrape up the brown, and add 4 medium russet potatoes that have been peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces. Now cover the pot with some tilt to vent, and after that boils, reduce to simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender.
After the potatoes are tender, add back the drained bacon and sausage, and add 1 Tbs of white wine vinegar. Then add and stir in 4 cups of chopped kale, a handful at a time. Pour in a cup of heavy cream, more or less as you like. Let that come together for about ten minutes, then check for seasoning. Give it another 20 minutes on simmer, stirring once in a while.
It’s so satisfying on a cold evening. There were five at the table tonight, and I served two ladle fulls in each bowl. Leftovers are lovely, too. (photo)
Dutch oven or soup pot.
4 slices thick bacon
1 pound hot Italian sausage (no casings)
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
Crushed red pepper to taste
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
salt and pepper
4 medium russet potatoes, 1/2 inch dice. SiL uses cauliflower for her keto version.
1 tbs white wine vinegar
4 cups chopped kale
1 cup heavy cream; more if you like.