Winter Solstice Soup: Pork Sausage and Root Vegetables

• Serves 4-6
• Preparation time:
  • Broth: 5-6 hours (can be prepared up to 3 days in advance, or further if frozen)
  • Soup: 1 hour

For the Broth:

• 5 lbs Pork bones  (leg, knuckle, and feet)
• 2 gallons water
• 1 each onion (peeled and cut into 4 pieces)
• 1 large carrot  (peeled and cut into large pieces)
• 2 stalks celery (cut into large pieces)
• 2 heads garlic (peeled into individual cloves)
• 2 each bay leaves
• ¼ lb. fresh thyme

Using a large stock pot, add the pork bones and water. Place on the stove over medium heat and slowly bring to a simmer. Keep a ladle in a tall container on hand to skim the broth. While the water is getting hot impurities will coagulate and raise to the surface, using the ladle skim off any foam or impurities. It is important to do this as it will result in a clear and pure broth. Once the broth comes all the way up to a simmer continue to skim and simmer for at least 10 minutes or until the broth become relatively clear. Once you are satisfied with the clarity, turn the heat down to low and very gently simmer for 3 hours. All the while, continue to skim any impurities and rendered fat that comes to the surface.

After 3 hours of cooking, add the remaining ingredients and continue to cook for 2 more hours at a low temperature with very gently simmering (if at any time, you notice the broth has reduced enough where the bones are above the liquid add water to just cover the bones). After the 2 hours, prepare a container with a strainer and gently pour the broth into the container. While the broth is hot, season with salt to taste. You want to season it so it’s just slightly under seasoned as you will continue to season the soup later on. If preparing the soup at a later time, you can chill the broth and reserve. If finishing the soup that same day you can place to the side.

For the sausage and vegetables:

• 2 lbs  your favorite fresh pork sausage (simple fennel sausage would work great)
• 2 tablespoons clarified butter or ghee
• 2 tablespoons fennel seed
• 2 large onions (peeled, small diced)
• 3 each garlic cloves (peeled, sliced very thin)
• 2 each carrot (peeled, small diced)
• 4 each hakurei turnip (washed, small diced)
• 1 each large celery root (peeled, small diced)
• 1 each medium daikon radish (peeled, small diced)
• 2 each fennel bulb (washed, small diced)
• 2 each kohlrabi (peeled, small diced)
• 1 gallon of pork broth
• 1 bunch red Russian kale (any variety of kale will work here: washed, removed from stem, sliced into ½ strips)
• 2 each bok choy (washed, sliced into ½ inch strips including the stalks)
• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 bunch total of mixed soft herbs (parsley, chives, cilantro, tarragon, fennel tops (if available)  (washed, roughly chopped)
• 1 teaspoon fennel pollen
• 2 each lemon (cut and served with the finished soup to be added as desired)

You’ll need a large stock pot that can hold at least 3 gallons. Place the pot over medium heat and allow the pot to slowly heat up. While the pot is heating up remove the sausage from the casing and break it up into bite size pieces with your hands. Once hot, add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the sausage, brown the meat as evenly as possible. This should take 3-4 minutes in total. Remove the sausage (keeping the fat in the pot) and set aside. Return the pot to the stove over medium heat and add the clarified butter and the fennel seeds. Lightly toast the fennel until aromatic, add the onion and garlic and season with salt. Cook until the onions become slightly translucent and add the carrots, turnips, celery root, daikon, fennel, and kohlrabi. Season all the vegetable with salt and continue to cook for 3-5 minutes stirring frequently. Add the reserved broth and turn the heat up to medium high. Once the broth is hot, adjust the seasoning with salt to taste. At this point you just want to cook it until you are satisfied with the texture of the root vegetables. Once satisfied, add the sausage back into the pot and allow the sausage to cook for one minute or so.

To Serve:

When you’re ready to serve add the kale, bok choy and black pepper. Stir these ingredients in and cook for one minute while still over medium-high heat. Ladle the soup into a serving bowl and garnish with the chopped herbs and sprinkle with fennel pollen.

Serve with the cut lemon wedges for added acidity.

*This can easily be served on a bed of rice or noodles if desired.