Parsley Pesto

After several days of sandwiches, turkey hash, and soup, a week after Thanksgiving the last thing left in the fridge last night was a nearly full bunch of parsley.  Instead of letting it sit there until it became one with the bag I opted for a parsley pesto.  In a Cuisinart start by mincing two garlic cloves and a teaspoon of kosher salt.  Add the washed parsley and a squeeze of lemon and while running drizzle your best olive oil in through the top until it’s finally minced and runny.  Add some grated parmesan, salt and pepper to taste, pulse, and toss with some raw vegetables.  It works especially well with mushrooms, this time around I also threw in a diced red pepper and some drained canned artichoke hearts in water.

Sausage, Kale, and White Bean Soup

There’s no better reason to keep a jar of chicken stock concentrate on the fridge door than these rainy forty five degree days.  For this Kale, sausage, and white bean soup I started by sautéing a chopped onion for about ten minutes in a large pot before adding my sliced sausage along with a chopped garlic clove.  I used a D'artagnan Andouille sausage but a chorizo or other spicy sausage would do just fine.  When the sausage was nearly cooked through I added my chopped kale, tossed until wilted,  then enough water to cover by at least an inch or two.  Once boiling I added the concentrated chicken stock a teaspoon full at a time, tasting in between so as not to overdo it.  Then it’s just a large can of drained white beans, a small can of chopped tomatoes, simmer, and salt and pepper to taste before serving.  This time around I dolloped it with a spoonful of arugula pesto and served with a toasted cheezy baguette.  Let it rain.