A vegetable-rich soup popularized by Olive Garden. This soup requires a couple extra steps but the results are worth it. Restaurant recipes are so much better at home. You can use your #instantpot to facilitate a quicker result.
Ingredients
4 cups waxy potatoes, unpeeled, small diced
2 cups carrots sliced
2 cups celery, sliced
1/2 cup fennel, thinly sliced, 1" pieces (omit if desired)
2-3 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup small diced, onion
3-4 cloves of garlic, minced
2-3 tsp thyme, dried
2-3 tsp oregano, dried
2-3 tsp basil, dried
2 bay leafs
3-4 bacon strips/rashers
16 oz spicy chicken Italian sausage (you may use mild if desired)
1 tbsp crushed fennel seed
2 oz dry white wine
4- 5 tbsp oil
4-6 tbsp a.p. flour
4-5 cups chicken stock
1/4-1/3 cup whipping cream
2 oz baby spinach, chopped ( approximately 3 handfuls) or kale (main rib removed and chopped)
tt salt and pepper
fresh basil
Parmesan for garnish
Instructions
1. Cook potatoes until tender in salted water. Cook until just tender: you want them to retain their shape. Once cooked, drain and set aside.
2. In a wide-mouth pot place, carrots, celery, and fennel (omit if desired) and saute with oil. Cook until tender; around 8 minutes. Remove and set aside.
3. Now add onion, garlic, thyme, oregano, basil, and bay leaf. (You may use Italian seasoning if desired). Add bacon strips. Cook on medium heat and let the fat render. You want a crispy product. Now remove all items and set aside. Chop bacon in small bits.
4. Place Italian sausage in pan and break into small bits. (I use a potato masher.) As it cooks add the dried crushed fennel seeds. As it completes cooking add white wine and let it cook off. This should take 2 mins or so. Drain the sausage over a bowl and collect the fat.
5. In the pot add vegetable oil (you want approximately 5 tbsp some of it may be residual from the sausage) Add 6 tbsp flour and cook until thickened and slightly browned. Now add 1 cup of chicken stock and it should thicken quickly. Stir with a whisk to break lumps down and add more chicken stock a bit at a time. I used 5 cups total. (You can use 1 carton plus 1 cup of water if desired.)
6. Now add whipping cream (you may omit but it adds a slight richness). Blend in the the spinach/greens and add back potatoes, carrots, celery fennel mixture, the onion, bacon mixture, and the crumbled Italian sausage.
7. Taste for salt and pepper seasoning and add freshly chopped basil. Serve with grated Parmesan if desired.
Susie's Tips and Tricks
If you prefer a version that matches the restaurant, omit the celery and carrots. We prefer them.
Its possible to use your electric pressure cooker to prepare the vegetables. Small diced potatoes, celery and carrots, can be cooked on high pressure for 2 minutes then quick release. Proceed as directed.
You may modify this recipe and change the quantity of potatoes etc.
You may want to substitute cauliflower for the potatoes.
Traditionally kale is used. I use spinach. I always have it on hand.
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