Escarole And Bean Soup - onion

Method

• 1. In a stock pot over low heat, sweat the onion, carrot and celery in the olive oil, with a pinch of kosher salt and a few grinds of black pepper.
• 2. When the onion is almost translucent, add the garlic and sausage to brown.
• 3. After the sausage has browned a bit, add the red pepper flakes, oregano and parsley, and continue browning.
• 4. When browning is done, add about 1/2 c. of the chicken stock to deglaze the pot and recover all the tasty bits of onion and sausage that stuck to the bottom.
• 5. Once the pot is deglazed, add the remaining chicken stock, and increase the heat to medium-high. You'll want to bring the broth to boil for a about a minute or two before reducing the heat back to medium.
• 6. While the stock is heating, add the rinsed, drained cannellini beans to allow then to heat through.
• 7. Bring the soup back up to a boil, and add the orzo.
• 8. Reduce the heat to low, add all of the escarole to the pot and slap on the lid for 10-15 minutes, or until the orzo is cooked.
• Psst... come here... closer... I want to share a little 'soup secret'... just before you declare your soup 'done', add two tablespoons of unsalted butter to the pot and allow it to melt in. The butter adds a nice finish to the taste, and a nice shimmer to the broth. Trust me, this will make your diners go "oooooo".
• Ladle up the soup into bowls, and garnish with whatever you choose. Personally, I like some parsley and some cubes of Romano cheese (does fresh baked bread count as a garnish?).
• Need to 'brighten' the flavor up a bit? Just add a quick squeeze of lemon juice.
• Enjoy!