Sausage and Greens Soup

“The soup used to be referred to as ‘weed soup’ because of all the greens,” says contributor Alison Froese-Stoddard. The green onions or chives, dill and sorrelwell worth seeking out for this soupmay be frozen together in recipe portions for quick use in winter time, notes contributor Anna Ens.

Serves 4

1/2 pound / 250 g bulk sausage
Brown in soup pot and drain all but a spoonful of fat. Remove meat.

1 cup / 250 ml onion, green onions, or chives (chopped)

garlic scapes to taste (minced; optional)

Sauté in reserved fat until soft. Return sausage to soup pot.

4 cups / 1 L chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup / 250 ml potatoes (diced)

salt and pepper to taste

Add, bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes are soft, 10-15 minutes.

11/2 cups / 375 ml evaporated milk

1-3 cups / 250-750 ml fresh spinach, kale, dandelion, lambs quarters, purslane, burdock, watercress, or other tender young greens (chopped)

parsley to taste (chopped; optional)

Add and cook until tender (just a minute for spinach, a few extra minutes for greens such as kale or dandelion). Garnish each bowl with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

Somma Borscht variation: Substitute chopped cooked ham and ham broth. Reduce milk to 1/4 cup / 60 ml. Use tangy fresh sorrel if available, but if not, add 1 tablespoon vinegar with the greens, plus 2-4 tablespoons chopped fresh dill. Optional: Carefully break an egg or two into the hot soup and cook without stirring until eggs are cooked. Or serve with chopped hard-cooked eggs.

Alison Froese-Stoddard, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Anna Enns, Winnipeg, Manitoba
arah Beachy, Harrisonburg, Virginia

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