Zuppa Toscana Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 lb Italian Sausage
• 4 oz bacon, about 4 slices, diced into small pieces
• 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• 3 cans low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 1 1/2 lbs Russet potatoes, scrubbed and rinsed then sliced into halves, halves diced into 1/6-inch slices
• 1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds, crushed, optional
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups half and half
• 1 1/2 cups packed chopped kale
• Finely shredded Romano cheese for serving, optional

Directions

1. Warm the olive oil in a large non-stick saucepan over medium-high heat. Break the sausage into 1-inch chunks as you add it to the pan, then cook, stirring now and then, until no longer pink. Transfer the sausage to a paper towel-lined plate or baking dish to drain, and set it aside.
2. Add the diced bacon to the same saucepan and put it back over the heat. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the diced onions. Continue cooking until the bacon is done and the onions look translucent, about 3 – 5 minutes more.
3. Pour in the chicken broth and water, then add the sliced potatoes, sugar, fennel seeds, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring the soup just up to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low, and stir the cooked sausage back in.
4. Cover the saucepan and let the soup simmer, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are almost tender, about 10 – 15 minutes.
5. Stir in the kale and keep simmering until the potatoes are soft and the kale has softened, about 5 – 10 minutes longer.
6. Add the half and half and heat until warmed through. If you like, skim extra fat from the surface with a spoon or ladle. Serve warm with Romano cheese on top.