Fresh Tomato & Sausage Soup

Summer, Winter, Spring or Fall, this one’s good for all.

Everything You Will Need:

4 cups of chicken broth
4 cups of fresh, ripe tomatoes
(peeled, seeded and chopped)
1 cup of celery (finely chopped)
1 small cauliflower (chopped)
1/2 cup of carrots (grated)
1 1/2 cups of onion (chopped)
1 bay leaf
1/8 cup of fresh basil leaves (chopped)
2 teaspoons of sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound of Papa Cantella's fresh Italian sausage
(removed from the casings)
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon of butter
8 ounces of heavy cream
sour cream
a few fresh basil leaves (for garnish)

In a large pot, combine the chicken broth, one-half of the tomatoes, one-half of the celery, all of the cauliflower, the carrot, onion, bay leaf, about six of the basil leaves, the sugar, and the salt and pepper.

Bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for twenty minutes.

Remove the bay leaf and purée the soup in a blender until completely smooth

Return the soup to the pot.

Meanwhile...
In a medium-sized skillet, cook the sausage in the olive oil over medium heat for six or seven minutes stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon to crumble the sausage.

Drain off any liquid.

Add the butter and the remaining tomatoes and celery to the sausage, and continue to cook for another six or seven minutes.

Add the sausage mixture and the cream to the soup.

Stir and heat the soup briefly for serving (but do NOT boil!).

Serve with a spoon of sour cream and garnish with a basil leaf

Serves 4 To 6

For further information go to:
www.PapaCantella.com or www.DougMotz.com