Logan's Zuppa Toscana

INGREDIENTS
1 mild Italian sausage
1 medium onion, chopped
3 slices of bacon, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1/2" pieces
(about 2 tbls.)
6 cups chicken stock (homemade or low-sodium canned)
8 cups unpeeled potatoes, cut in approx. 3/4" dice
1/2 tsp. fennel seed
1/2 cup kale, coarsely chopped and packed, or 1 cup loose


1. Remove sausage from casing and brown in a large pot, breaking up
large pieces as it cooks. When the sausage is thoroughly cooked and
slightly brown, remove it from the pot and drain off all the fat.

2. Add the onion and bacon to the same pot. Stir and cook until the
bacon begins to brown and the onions soften. (It won't hurt if they
brown a little too!).

3. Add the chicken stock and potatoes. Cook until the potatoes are
very done.

4. Take about 2-3 cups of potatoes and stock from the pot and puree in
a blender. Add back to the pot along with the sausage, fennel seed and
kale and simmer about 5-10 minutes.

5. Salt to taste. Let it sit a few minutes before serving. Garnish
with some grated Romano on top.