STRATEGY SESSION: My approach to this recipe has two components: moderating the glycemic load and substitution. Like all legumes, cannellini beans have a low glycemic index, but they are very carbohydrate-dense. Since GL is a function of GI and carbohydrate density (CD), I can moderate the GL by adding components that are lower in CD  than the beans. Escarole and onion meet that requirement. The sausage adds complexity and depth of flavor, but you don’t need the full fat variety. I substitute turkey kielbasa for pork.

This mother’s memory of her child is—at least in part– a history of meals, and I could have called this post ”Sam’s Life-in-Food Soup”. As a tot, my son loved both beans and soup. If they coincided, as they did in my father’s minestrone, so much the better. He was also a lettuce-lover from the get-go– and we were the envy of friends whose children wouldn’t touch anything green. In college, he developed a taste for heat and spice, and he returned from a semester in Rome an expert on Parmigiano-Reggiano. This soup is all about him and he eats it with that knowledge; but even if it isn’t all about you, it’s still a very good soup.

Note: I’ve only used kielbasa in this soup, but I believe any reduced fat sausage would work.

 

Cannellini, Kielbasa, and Escarole Soup

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 8 ounces turkey kielbasa, cut into ½” cubes
• 1 cup chopped onion
• ¼ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 to 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
• 3 cups cooked cannellini beans, with the liquid that clings to them, or 2 (15-ounce) cans rinsed and drained
• 1 piece Parmigiano-Reggiano rind, approximately 3″ by 1½” (optional)
• 1 head escarole, sliced into ribbons ½” wide
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (optional)

1. Heat the oil in a soup kettle or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the sausage and brown, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat if it browns too quickly. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
2. Add the onion and pepper flakes to the pot and stir to coat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 3 to 5 minutes, or until soft. Stir in the garlic and cook uncovered for 1 minute longer.
3. Raise the heat to medium-high and add 1 cup of the broth. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping up the brown bits. Add the beans and another cup of broth. Return the sausage to the pot (along with the Parmesan rind, if using.) and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, 10 minutes. Add the escarole and cook 10 minutes longer. Remove the rind, if using. If too thick, thin with additional chicken broth. Season generously with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, sprinkled with grated cheese, if desired.

Makes 6 servings

Per serving: Calories 222, 6 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 23 mg cholesterol, 27 g total carbohydrate, 9 g dietary fiber, 20 g protein, 288 mg sodium.