Ingredients
4 sausage links – about 1 lb (I prefer garlic and herb pork sausage)
1 can of cannellini beans, drained
1 head of garlic – crushed
1 shallot – sliced
balsamic vinegar, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 sprig of fresh thyme
1 tsp olive oil
1 handful of string beans, or white wax beans sliced diagonally 1/2 inch pieces
1 plum tomato, diced
Directions
1. In a 3 quart saucepan, add 1 teaspoon of oil and heat over medium flame. Add sausage links and cook for about 10 minutes turning often. After cooking for 5 minutes, pierce the links a couple of times so that the oil erupts out of the links and to the pan.
2. One by one, take each link and slice diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces. Add back to the pot.
3. Add garlic to the pan and stir the sausages so that they brown on all sides
4. Add shallots and cook for 1 minute
5. Add the chicken broth, cannellini beans and the thyme to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 20 minutes
6. Add string or wax beans. Turn heat down to low and cook for another 10 minutes uncovered.
7. Skim the oil and fat off the surface of the soup and discard. Serve in a small bowl. Depending on preference, add some tomatoes and a splash of balsamic vinegar. Goes well with a slice of warm Italian bread dipped in olive oil
