Note I was unable to load pictures of the sausage escarole soup – you’ll have to use your imagination. I have yet to enter, much less master, the digital age.

February 9 – February 15

Monday:                  Radicchio and Endive Salad with Orange Caramel Dressing / Leftover Chicken

Tuesday:                  Cheddar and Herb Omelet with Spinach Salad

Wednesday:          Spaghetti w/ Pepper Ragu

Thursday:                Sausage & Escarole Soup w/ Crostini

Friday:                      Salmon w/ olive oil-poached broccoli and Rice

Saturday:                Margherita Pizza

Sunday:                   We can’t remember, but here’s a picture of Andrew

Tip to Vegetarians – Add Sausage to it

I am a fan of bitter greens: radicchio, frisée, endive, dandelion, collard, and the oft-neglected, but wonderful escarole.  I like escarole in salads, on sandwiches, and above all in Michael Ruhlman’s magnificent Sausage and Escarole soup.  Pair this with some crusty bread or crostini and you have a complete, hearty and healthy meal.

About that sausage:  I have written to the Secretary of Health and Human Services to request that pork sausage be added to the daily recommended food groups.  I have pointed out to him that if this done, it will allow plaintiff attorneys, the sharks with whom the Secretary prefers to swim, to sue large food companies – Smithfield, Bob Evans, Hormel and collect huge damages for families of sausage eaters who die of anything related to heart disease – a leading cause of death – and perhaps he can even find a few loony MDs who can confirm evidence of trichinosis in ham sandwiches and BLTs to increase the take.  Of course, I also reminded the Secretary that he must get up-front, signed consulting contracts with contingency fees from plaintiff lawyers before there is so much as a whisper about pork sausage.  But the Secretary is an old hand at this and doesn’t need my help to monetize health care regulations or recommendations.

(Note to editor – please delete the paragraph above – the Secretary of HHS is a plaintiff attorney himself for God’s sake, or should I say for his sake, and he’s got Pam Bondi on his side.)

Getting back to the matter at hand – Ruhlman’s masterful marriage of sausage and escarole:  This soup is perfect for a blustery, cold night.   It is spiced with red pepper, given a savory and nutritious base with chicken stock and has delightful pieces of crunchy escarole to give it a nice chew.  It’s a favorite at Casa Stuarti and, though I think I may have shared this with you in the past it is good enough to warrant a repeat.

SAUSAGE AND ESCAROLE SOUP

(adapted from Michael Ruhlman – Ruhlman’s Twenty)

Timing:                                             25 minutes

Ingredients:                                      Serves 4

1 pound sausage, browned in a frying pan and broken up

½ pound or a bit more of escarole (aka Batavian endive) cut crosswise into ½-inch ribbons and then cut into bite-size pieces

1 large onion diced (medium or small dice to taste – we like the more rustic medium dice)

2 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced, 4 cups chicken stock, 1 tablespoon minced garlic (we used garlic powder)

1 tablespoon fish sauce

2 teaspoons of lemon juice or white wine vinegar or more to taste

Pinch of red pepper flakes or cayenne, if you’re using sweet sausage – skip if you’re using hot sausage

Kosher salt, Canola oil as needed

Crusty bread, toasted baguette or fried bread or croutons to serve

Prep:                             This dish is mostly about the prep

Brown the sausage in a little oil over medium or medium high, breaking it up as it browns. This might take 10 minutes.  Set aside.

Dice onion, chop escarole, gather other ingredients.

Cook:

(Note: you can bake croutons or baguette or break up crusty bread while soup comes to a simmer.)

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven sweat the onion and garlic in just enough canola oil to coat and season with a three-finger pinch of salt.  When the  vegetables have softened, add the stock and bring to a simmer.

Now add the sausage, endive, tomatoes, fish sauce and lemon juice and cook just until the greens are wilted.  Taste and adjust seasoning with lemon, salt, fish sauce or red pepper as needed.

Serve with crusty or fried bread.