2-3 links pork sausages, removed from skins (try to use sausage with extra flavor)
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 celery stalks, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
3 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 (15-ounce) can navy or cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Optional
green cabbage such as kale or savoy, cut into large strips
tomatoes that have seen better days, chopped
zucchini, chopped
Serving
crusty bread
Parmesan cheese, grated
Body
Place a large Dutch oven or heat-proof pan on the stove and add the olive oil along with the sausage, breaking it up roughly with your fingers. Brown the sausage for a few minutes and break it up a bit more with a spatula.
Add the onion, garlic, celery, and carrot and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste, the stock, and the beans. Season and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.
If you are adding any cabbage, tomatoes, or zucchini to the soup, add them 5 minutes before serving so they don’t overcook. Serve with crusty bread and some grated Parmesan, if you wish.
1 pound (500ml) mixed skinless fish fillets such as haddock and salmon
8 ounces (250g) raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup (60ml) of heavy (35%) cream
salt and pepper
Body
Dice potatoes, place in a bowl and cover with stock to keep them from turning brown. Soak saffron in 2 tablespoons (30ml) hot water
Heat olive oil in a 3-quart (3L) pot over medium heat. Add onions and fennel; cook until soft, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionaly. Stir in the potatoes and stock, saffron liquid, tomatoes, garlic, bay leaves, orange zest, thyme and salt. Bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until potatoes are tender
Meanwhile, chop fish into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces. (at this point, you can hold the mixture until just before serving.)
Add fish. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. add shrimp and simmer for 2 more minutes.
Pour in cream, season with salt and pepper. Stir gently to distribute the embellishments. Taste and adjust seasoning and serve at once.
4 slices bacon (this is optional but the smokiness is wicked good)
veg oil/olive oil
1 medium Spanish onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 small sweet potatoes, diced 1″ thick
2 sprigs fresh thyme
3/4 tsp smoked or regular paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 1/2 cups corn kernels (frozen or fresh)
3 tbsp all purpose flour
2 cups stock
3 cups 2% milk
Shrimp:
10-15 large shrimp (black tiger is great)
1/4 cumin
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp chili powder
pinch or two red pepper flakes
Body
For the chowder:
Dice up your bacon and cook in a large heavy soup pot over med-high heat until fat has rendered and bacon is crisp. Remove bacon from pan with slotted spoon to paper towel.
There should be about 2-3 tbsp rendered bacon fat in the bottom of your pot. If there is less, add a bit of vegetable or olive oil to top it up. Turn heat down to low-medium. Add the diced onion and celery and cook until translucent, 4-5 minutes Add in sweet potato, stir and cover. Cook for 6-7 minutes or until sweet potato is starting to soften. Add thyme and spices and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add in flour and cook, stirring constantly,for another minute. Pour in stock and milk and bring to a gentle simmer, whisking constantly. It should start to thicken. Pour in the corn kernels. Simmer for 8-10 minutes or until it’s thick and creamy. If it’s too thick, add in some more milk or stock to thin it out. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed.
For the shrimp:
While soup simmers and thickens, toss your peeled and de-veined shrimp with the spices. Let rest for 2 minutes. Add vegetable oil to a pan over med-high heat and cook shrimp, one layer at a time, for 2-3 minutes on each side until cooked through and starting to curl and turn golden brown.
At this point, you can leave shrimp whole to top the soup or cut into bite-sized chunks and toss into soup. Top with bacon bits, fresh ground pepper and thyme leaves. Ladle into mugs and enjoy!