Spanish Style White Bean and Sausage Soup

Ingredients

• 3 andouille sausage links
• 8 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 8 ounces dry great Northern beans
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pinch crushed saffron threads
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 12 ounces kale, stems removed and leaves coarsely chopped

Directions

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a large skillet. Add sausages, and cook over medium heat for 7 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan, dice, and set aside.

In a large pot, combine the chicken stock and dry beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Add the bay leaf and a pinch of salt. Simmer, partially covered, for 2 hours. Discard bay leaf. Remove 1/2 cup of the stock to a small bowl. Stir in saffron, and set aside to soak.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, and brown for about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan, and reduce the heat to low. Add the onion, and cook for about 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic and cook for another minute. Mix in the red bell pepper and paprika. Cook for a few minutes before adding the mixture to the soup pot along with the sausage.

Bring the soup to a low boil, and stir in the kale. Simmer for 10 minutes, until kale is tender. Serve hot.