Copyright 2002 Blacks Culinary

In a Dutch oven or large deep walled pan brown the bacon till crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon. Pour the reserved grease into a small bowl for later use. Reserve the bacon for garnish. In the same pan brown the Italian sausage. I prefer larger chunks of sausage so I don’t break it up too much. When well browned remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onion, celery and potato. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper. Sauté till the onions are translucent and the potatoes have begun to soften. Add the garlic and sauté for an additional 2 minutes. Add the oregano and basil and stir to combine. Cook till the spices bloom and become fragrant. Return the sausage to the pan and sauté for another 30 seconds. Add the broth and, stirring often, season with 1-2 tsp of Chicken Bouillon and bring to a strong simmer till the potatoes are nearly cooked through (test for firmness with a fork), should be close to done already. When the potatoes are cooked add the heavy cream, kale (or spinach) and shredded carrot. Bring to a strong simmer and cook till the kale has wilted. If you prefer a bit thicker textured broth you can add a cornstarch slurry here then bring to a quick boil and reduce to a simmer to thicken. Don’t use too much and keep in mind that the broth will continue to thicken as it cools. Season (to taste) with bouillon powder, salt and fresh ground black pepper then garnish with fresh grated Parmesan and crumbled bacon.

4-6 Cups Chicken Broth 1 ½ cups Heavy Cream 2-3 large leaves of Kale, chopped Kosher Salt and Fresh Ground Black Pepper (to taste) 1 Tbsp. Knorr Chicken Bouillon Powder 1 Tbsp. Cornstarch diluted Fresh Grated Parmesan for Garnish