Cauliflower and Sausage Soup with Kale Chips

A fantastic, massively flavorful Tuscan-inspired soup that features salty sausage, fresh cauliflower, and shatteringly crunchy kale chips. Feel free to omit both the wine and stock concentrate, if you like. But these two things take the flavors to a whole new level.

Author: Lauren McDuffie
Yield: Serves 4

Ingredients

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3/4 pound Italian sausage (mild or hot; casings removed)
Olive oil, as directed
1 heaping cup diced onion (any kind)
6 cups cauliflower florets (about 1-inch in length, give or take, usually two heads will work)
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 large garlic cloves, minced or grated
2 teaspoons chicken or vegetable stock concentrate or 1 bouillon cube (optional)
Zest and juice of one lemon (optional)
2/3 cup dry white wine (optional)
32–ounces chicken stock
3/4 cup heavy cream (you can sub milk or half and half, to lighten)
5 cups curly or tuscan kale leaves

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Adjust the oven rack to the middle position.
Put the sausage in a large lidded pot set over medium heat, breaking it up into crumbles. Allow the sausage to brown deeply on one side before stirring/turning, and then cook through. Takes about 5 to 6 minutes total. Using a slotted spoon or fish spatula, transfer the sausage elsewhere for now, leaving the drippings behind.
In the same pot, add the onion and cauliflower and season with salt and pepper. Cook in the drippings (adding a little oil, if needed) stirring frequently, until the veggies are nice and tender; about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, stock concentrate, lemon zest and juice, and the wine. Cook, stirring, for about a minute or so (this will cook off the alcohol).
Add the stock and cream and let the soup simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes. This will concentrate the flavors and tenderize the cauliflower. When it’s super tender, use an immersion blender to blend it up until the soup is super creamy. You can also do this in batches in a blender, if you prefer. Both work! Return the soup to the pot, and add the sausage. Stir to mix.
Put the kale on a large baking sheet and coat in some olive oil (a couple of teaspoons). Season lightly with salt and pepper. Bake until super crunchy and darkened; about 5 to 6 minutes (goes fast).
Serve the soup in bowls, topped with the crunchy kale chips.

Find it online: https://mykitchenlittle.com/2022/01/09/cauliflower-and-sausage-soup-with-kale-chips/