Zuppa Toscana

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot (6-quart minimum)
• •Wooden spoon for scraping fond
• •Ladle for serving

Instructions

1. 1

   Render the bacon

   Set a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the bacon pieces and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat renders and the edges turn golden and crisp, about eight minutes. The bacon provides a smoky foundation that separates a good zuppa from a memorable one. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving every drop of rendered fat in the pot.

   Don't rush the bacon. Low and slow rendering creates better flavor and more usable fat than high heat that chars the edges.
2. 2

   Brown the sausage

   Increase heat to medium-high. Add the sausage to the bacon fat, breaking it into rough crumbles with a wooden spoon. Resist the urge to stir constantly. Let the meat sit against the hot pot for a minute or two between stirs, allowing it to develop deep brown color and fond on the bottom. This takes about eight to ten minutes. You want no pink remaining and plenty of caramelized bits clinging to the pot.

   The irregular crumbles are intentional. Some pieces should be the size of a marble, others like gravel. This creates textural interest in every spoonful.
3. 3

   Build the aromatic base

   Add the diced onion to the pot with the sausage. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns translucent and begins to pick up golden color from the fond, about five minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring constantly for sixty seconds until fragrant. The garlic should sizzle gently, not scorch. If it threatens to burn, add a splash of stock immediately.

4. 4

   Deglaze and add stock

   Pour in the chicken stock, using a wooden spoon to scrape every caramelized bit from the bottom of the pot. This fond is concentrated flavor. Don't leave any behind. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer with lazy bubbles rising every few seconds.

   Homemade stock transforms this soup. If using store-bought, seek out low-sodium versions so you control the salt. Better Markets and specialty grocers often stock frozen homemade-style stocks worth seeking.
5. 5

   Cook the potatoes

   Add the sliced potatoes to the simmering broth. They should be submerged, with liquid to spare. Cook at a gentle simmer until the potatoes yield easily to a fork but hold their shape, fifteen to eighteen minutes. A vigorous boil will break them apart and cloud your broth. Patience. The potato starch will naturally thicken the soup as it cooks.

6. 6

   Wilt the kale

   Add the torn kale leaves, pushing them into the broth with your spoon. They'll seem like far too much. They aren't. Tuscan kale wilts to a fraction of its raw volume. Simmer until the leaves turn deep green and tender, about five minutes. The kale should have some texture remaining, not cooked to mush.

7. 7

   Finish with cream

   Remove the pot from heat. Stir in the heavy cream until fully incorporated, creating a broth that's rich but not cloying. Return the reserved bacon to the pot. Taste and season with salt and pepper. The soup should be savory, slightly spicy, with cream rounding every edge.

   Adding cream off the heat prevents any chance of curdling and preserves its silky texture. Never boil cream in an acidic environment.
8. 8

   Rest and serve

   Let the soup rest for five minutes before serving. This allows flavors to meld and prevents scorched tongues. Ladle into warmed bowls and finish with a generous grating of Parmesan and another crack of black pepper. Serve with crusty bread for dunking.

Chef Tips

• •Seek out sausage from a proper butcher shop or Italian market. The pre-packaged supermarket varieties often contain fillers that affect texture and flavor. Good sausage should be coarsely ground with visible fat and seasonings.
• •For an even richer broth, roast a chicken specifically for stock. Combine the carcass with aromatics and simmer for four hours. Freeze in quart containers. You'll never regret having homemade stock on hand.
• •If the soup seems thin after adding cream, return it to a gentle simmer for ten minutes to concentrate. The potato starch will continue thickening as it cooks.
• •A drizzle of quality olive oil over each bowl adds another layer of Tuscan authenticity. Use the good stuff, the kind you'd dip bread into.

Advance Preparation

• •The soup base, without cream and kale, can be made up to three days ahead and refrigerated. The flavors deepen considerably overnight.
• •To serve after refrigerating, reheat gently to a simmer, add fresh kale, cook until wilted, then stir in cream off heat.
• •For freezing, prepare through step 5, omitting potatoes, kale, and cream. Freeze for up to three months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator, bring to simmer, add sliced potatoes and proceed with recipe.
• •The soup thickens substantially as it sits. Thin with additional stock when reheating, adjusting seasoning as needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 470g)