Dishing Up the Dirt

Sausage Kale & Cauliflower Stew

April is one of those funny months where we’re craving lighter food but the reality is that it’s still cold, wet and rainy. We come in from the field chilled to the bone and after a hot shower the only thing that’s been sounding good is hearty stew. This particular recipe is chock full of nourishing ingredients that fill you up, and warm you from the inside out. The spicy Italian sausage was the key to the subtle kick in this stew and the vegetables rounded out the flavors. This soup is excellent the day of but is even better for leftovers a day or two after it’s made. It pairs well with some crusty bread and a glass of red wine.

Cheers from a rainy Tumbleweed Farm

Sausage Kale & Cauliflower Stew

Prep Time: 15 minutes    Cook Time: 45 minutes    Serves: 4-6

  • 1 tablespoon cooking fat (we used bacon fat but feel free to use butter or olive oil)
  • 1 pound ground spicy Italian sausage
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 4 large cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 medium-sized head of cauliflower, broken into florets (about 4 cups)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 5 cups chicken stock + additional to thin as needed
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 bunch of kale, tough stems discarded, torn into bite sized pieces
  • salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

  1. Heat the bacon fat (or cooking fat of choice) in a heavy bottom skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until browned all over, about 5 minutes. Use a wooden spoon to help break up the sausage into smaller pieces. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes longer. Add the cauliflower, bay leaves and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes.
  2. Stir in the heavy cream, kale and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Simmer for about 5 minutes longer.
  3. Divide between bowls and enjoy.

Notes

*Use this recipe as a guide *Adjust measurements and ingredients as necessary


Leave a Reply

7 thoughts on “Sausage Kale & Cauliflower Stew

  1. Cherylie says:

    Finally! A unique way to cook cauliflower. I’m low-carb, and I’m so tired of cauliflower rice! This is the perfect soup for my eating plan.

    I enjoy reading about your adventures and misadventures. I live vicariously through you. I’ll never farm, but as I moving closer to retirement, I’m expanding my gardening. My retirement gift will be a proper greenhouse, which I envision as my gal-cave.

    1. Andrea says:

      Thank you for the lovely comment. I hope you enjoy this recipe.

  2. Steph says:

    Do you think I could substitute coconut milk for the heavy cream?

    1. Andrea says:

      Absolutely! It will take on a slightly sweeter flavor but not overwhelming so!

  3. Bianca says:

    So happy you are not afraid to use good fats, i.e. bacon, butter, esp olive oil AND heavy cream !

  4. Kerry says:

    Really satisfying. I added some acidity (a bit of lemon zest and juice, plus a spoonful of plain Greek yogurt) to balance richness of sausage and cream. To finish: added broken pieces of toasted heavy rye, chopped fresh grape tomatoes, and grated ricotta salada

  5. Adam says:

    This was delicious and very satisfying. I don’t usually like cream sauces, but the bit of cream here really makes the dish. One note on cooking though – I apparently like my kale a little more cooked. I had to return it to a low boil for about 5 minutes to get it the way I like it, at which point the cauliflower was overcooked and the cream had separated. Next time I will add the kale earlier, and just stir in the cream right at the end.

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