Ingredients:
- lb Italian Sausage (Mild or Hot), casings removed
- large Yellow Onion, diced finely
- cloves Garlic, minced
- cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
- cup Water
- lbs Turnips (or Rutabaga), peeled and cubed into 1/2 inch pieces
- cup Heavy Whipping Cream, cold
- /2 tsp Dried Crushed Red Pepper Flakes (or to taste)
- /2 tsp Dried Thyme
- oz bunch Kale, stems removed and roughly chopped
- /4 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese (plus extra for serving)
- Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
Instructions:
- Heat a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the Italian sausage, breaking it up with a spoon. Cook until browned through and no pink remains. Drain off most of the rendered fat, leaving about 1 tablespoon behind for flavour.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onion to the pot and cook until softened and translucent (about 5-7 minutes). Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes; cook for 1 minute until fragrant—do not let the garlic burn!
- Pour in the chicken broth and water. Add the dried thyme, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil.
- Add the peeled and cubed turnips. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 15–20 minutes, or until the turnips are tender when pierced with a fork.
- Stir in the chopped kale. Continue to simmer, uncovered, until the kale has wilted down significantly (about 3–5 minutes).
- Turn the heat to low. Slowly pour in the cold heavy cream while stirring constantly. Do not allow the soup to boil vigorously after adding the cream.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the grated Parmesan cheese until melted and incorporated. Taste the soup and adjust salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes as needed.
- Ladle into bowls immediately, topping each serving with an extra sprinkle of fresh Parmesan cheese.