This soup is easy to make, inexpensive, and it's incredibly warming and good on a cold winter day. Leeks and onions provide lots of flavor, and a bit of carrot adds color and a touch of sweetness. I use a couple of sweet Italian turkey sausages in the soup, which boost the protein as well as taste, but you can substitute other types of lean sausage, if you prefer. Chopped ham would work well, too. Cornmeal helps thicken and give substance to the soup--with no cream needed! With it's mixture of vegetables, lean protein, and a fair amount of fiber, the soup is great if you're on a diabetic diet or want to "eat healthy." We like the soup for lunch, and it's also nice for a simple dinner with a salad and fruit. Enjoy!
Leek, Polenta, and Italian Turkey Sausage Soup -- Makes About 2 Quarts
2-3 teaspoons of canola oil
1/4 cup of chopped onion
2 cups of cleaned and chopped leeks (green and white parts)
1/4 cup of shredded carrot
1/4 teaspoon of salt, plus extra to taste
1/4 teaspoon of pepper, plus extra to taste
2 Italian sweet turkey or poultry sausages (the uncooked kind, about 6-8 ounces)
5 cups of water
1 teaspoon of reduced sodium chicken base (I use "Better Than Bullion")
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
3/4 cup of yellow cornmeal
Milk, as needed
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large soup pot. Add the onion, leeks, carrot, and salt and pepper to the pot and saute them together for about 10 minutes or until the vegetables soften substantially and wilt down by about half. Remove the casings from the sausages and crumble them into the pot. Saute them with the vegetables for 5-8 minutes or until mostly cooked through. Add the water, chicken base, and garlic powder to the post and stir them into the vegetable/sausage mixture. Bring the mixture to a boil and slowly add the cornmeal, a little at a time, whisking it in gradually. Don't worry overmuch if the leeks get caught in the whisk (they will!), the object is just to keep the cornmeal from clumping up too much. Turn down the heat to medium-low-low, cover the pot, and let the mixture simmer for about 20 minutes, whisking or stirring it periodically. If the soup seems to be thickening up more than you like, just add a little milk and gently stir it in to get the consistency you like. Taste the soup and add salt and pepper to taste before serving the soup.
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