Recipe | Leek + Sausage Soup

January has been a cccccold one and on the heels of a mild December I seem to have gone into baking and cooking over drive.  Making up for my lack of culinary motivation in December, this month has been a steady stream of fresh homemade breads, warm cinnamon and sugar soft pretzels, and lots of fudge brownies coming from my kitchen.  And since we can't survive on baked goods alone, there's been plenty of stews, soups and hearty pasta dinners too.  I've also spent more hours than I probably should curled up in front of the fire reading too. (house is a mess! behind on emails!)  But there are few pleasures I love more in the winter than getting lost in a good story!  If you are on instagram my book review hashtag is #NSHbookclub.  I always like to hear about what others are reading and love a good recommendation (hint, hint...).  I just finished another one today that I really enjoyed, The Nightingale from Kristen Hannah.

Back to food though... I made this soup for dinner this week thanks to a recommendation from a friend (thanks Lisa! ;)) and tweaked the recipe ever so slightly (more veggies!).  I've had a bit of a cold and wasn't feeling the greatest so this soup brought me back to life.  Spicy, hearty and so comforting for chilly winter lunches or dinner. I ate it for lunch and dinner two days in a row.  It's been so long since I shared a new recipe, this one is a keeper...

Recipe | Leek and Sausage Soup
(adapted from Michael Romano's Secret Ingredient Soup)

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped peeled carrot
1 cup well-washed thinly sliced leeks
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more if you want spicier)
8 ounces bulk sweet Italian sausage (I used Fresh Market)
2 tablespoons medium-grind cornmeal (polenta)
5 cups Chicken stock
2 generous handfuls of coarsely chopped arugula
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for serving

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, leeks, garlic, salt, black pepper, and red pepper and cook, stirring, until the onion becomes translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.  Drain off the excess fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan. Stir in the cornmeal. Add the stock, stirring, and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in the greens and cook for 15 minutes more, or until tender.