Creamy, earthy chestnuts and herbed sausage laced with a bit of heady Marsala wine makes a warming winter soup. Serve with an arugula salad and a garlicky dressing.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 small carrot, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
6 cups Chicken Stock or purchased low-sodium stock
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
1 bay leaf 1 (15-ounce) jar cooked chestnuts, chopped
1/3 cup Marsala
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound bulk Sweet Italian Sausage, Porchetta-Style Sausage, or purchased sausage
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1. Heat butter in a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes, or until onion is translucent.
2. Add stock, parsley, rosemary, chestnuts, and Marsala to the pan, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and simmer soup for 20 minutes, or until vegetables are soft.
3. While soup simmers, heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Crumble sausage into the skillet and cook, breaking up lumps with a fork, for 3 to 5 minutes, or until browned. Set aside.
4. Remove and discard bay leaf. Puree soup with an immersion blender, a food processor fitted with the steel blade, or in a blender; this will have to be done in batches unless using an immersion blender.
5. Add sausage and cream to soup, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Simmer soup for 10 minutes, uncovered, over low heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.
Note: The soup can be made up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered. Reheat it over low heat, covered.