sausage & brussels sprout soup

I took this, 100%, from Sunset Magazine's January 2008 issue (including the picture), and it really is what it claims: a perfect soup for late-winter, when brussels sprouts are in season. And my kids ate it. Promise. Actually, I had to take out the sausage because it was too spicy for them, but I cut up hot dogs for theirs and they ate that instead. The point is: they ATE brussels sprouts, something I hadn't done since my grandpa made me when I was seven.


You can click the link above for the official recipe, but I'll spell it out for you anyway so you don't have to click over if you don't want to. One caution: andouille sausage is spicy, and may not go over well with kids (like mine), but try substituting applewood smoked chicken sausage if you want to do away with the spice.

• 1 pound brussels sprouts
• 1/2 pound andouille sausage
• 1 teaspoon olive oil 
• 3 large red potatoes 
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
• 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth 

1. 1. Trim ends off brussels sprouts, remove any damaged external leaves, and cut in half lengthwise. Set aside.
2. 2. Remove casing from sausage and cut into 1/4-in.-thick slices. Put olive oil and sausage in a medium pot over medium-high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until sausage is well browned, about 7 minutes.
3. 3. Meanwhile, peel potatoes and cut into roughly 1/2-in. pieces.
4. 4. When sausage is browned, add bay leaves and caraway seeds to the pot. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add potatoes, broth, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil. Add brussels sprouts. Partially cover pot and reduce heat to low or medium-low to maintain a steady simmer. Cook soup until potatoes and brussels sprouts are tender, about 15 minutes. Remove bay leaves and serve soup hot.