Spanish Beans and Greens Soup

I am a huge fan of collards and kale these days. I think my favorite way to use them this year is in soups and I seem to have a soup recipe for all occasions that has collards/kale. Some things seem to be similar amongst the soups---cannellini beans, broth (of course), and usually potatoes and sausage. It's the other things and seasonings which makes the soups unique. This one had saffron (mmm....one of my favorite things!). It is also a very forgiving soup if you don't have enough (or all the ingredients). I had only 1 1/2 c of cannellini beans and that was not a problem. M would have liked more beans, but she survived.

All of us who tried this loved it. M ate two or three bowls and even ate the collards in the last bowl when I told her it was the most nutritious part of the soup (she's really into food that gives her "energy" and "makes her strong" right now. I'm not complaining! It offsets her desire to eat candy every day---poor child, that doesn't happen!). I put it through my little food mill for baby I and he ate a couple of small bowls. Curtis liked it enough he took it for lunch two days in a row. It's a winner!!

Spanish Beans and Greens Soup

2 cloves garlic, minced
2 c onions, choppped
1 t salt
1 T olive oil
1 t fennel seeds
3 bay leaves
1 lb bulk sausage
2 c potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes
8 c vegetable or chicken stock
4 c (or more) kale, collards, chard, or cabbage, stemmed and chopped
1 c celery with leaves, chopped
3 c cannellini beans, cooked and drained
generous pinch of saffron
1 1/2 t salt
1/2 t black pepper

In a soup pot, saute the onions and salt in oil on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, or until the onions are golden. Add the fennel, bay leaves, and garlic and saute for another minute. Add the sausage and cook until it starts to brown, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, stock, greens and celery. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and add the beans, saffron, salt, and pepper. Simmer until the vegetables are cooked, 5 - 10 minutes (depending the greens you used).