2825. BACON, ITALIAN SAUSAGE, and BEAN SOUP

makes 4 to 6 servings


4 slices bacon
2 links fresh sweet Italian turkey sausage, skinned and crumbled
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped carrot
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and 1/4 of them mashed with a fork
1 can (15 ounces) red kidney beans, drained and 1/4 of them mashed with a fork
1 can (14.5 ounces) reduced sodium chicken broth
1 can (14 ounces) diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup light sour cream
cilantro leaves, for garnish

Cook the bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp, then remove it and set aside on paper towels to drain. Crumble the bacon. Add the sausage to the bacon drippings in the pan and cook until browned. Stir in the red pepper flakes. Remove the sausage from the pan and set aside. Add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to the pan and saute for 3 minutes, or until tender. Remove the vegetables and set aside in a medium bowl. Wipe the pan and return the sausage and sauteed vegetables to it, along with the beans, broth, tomatoes, cilantro, tomato paste, lime juice, cumin, and cayenne pepper. Add the bacon and stir to combine. Bring the ingredients to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, or until thickened. Ladle the soup into bowls, then top each with a dollop of sour cream and garnish with cilantro leaves.


bacon recipe courtesy of: Charlene Chambers, Ormond Beach, Florida, second prize winner in the 2012 Bacon Recipe Contest, 2012 Old Farmer's Almanac; Yankee Magazine