White Bean and Sausage Soup

From Emma Christensen.

• 4 links (about 1 pound) of your favorite sausage, sliced into thin rounds
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons marjoram, minced
• 3 cups (two 12-ounce bottles) amber lager beer
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 6 ounces kale, stems removed and leaves roughly chopped
• 2 (16-ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• Dash of salt and pepper
• Freshly grated Parmesan

Set a large pot over medium-high heat and film the bottom with a little olive oil. Add the sausage. Cook until the sausage is golden brown, then remove with a slotted spoon and let it drain on a paper towel. Pour off the excess fat in the pot, leaving a teaspoon behind.

Lower the heat to medium, and cook the onions with a pinch of salt until they are completely translucent and begin to caramelize, 15 minutes. Add the garlic and the marjoram, and cook until both become fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Pour in the beer and broth, and bring the soup to a boil. Add the kale and a dash of salt, and cook until the kale is bright green and tender. Stir in the beans, the reserved sausage and the Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil and taste to adjust the seasonings.

Serve with a sprinkle of parmesan and a few pieces of crusty bread. This soup is even better the next day.

Serves 6.

Per serving: 294 calories; 13 g fat (4 g saturated fat; 40 percent calories from fat); 30 g carbohydrates; 32 mg cholesterol; 1,322 mg sodium; 17 g protein; 7 g fiber.