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In chilly weather nothing warms the stomach better than a hearty soup. When it comes to robust soup fare, pound for pound, or link for link, sausage is one of the most potent elements in the culinary arsenal. I've tested variations of a Portuguese sausage soup recipe and found that low fat substitutions work just as well as the fattier, richer sausages such linguica or chourico, known in Spanish cuisine as chorizo. Below is a recipe I've altered from the original, substituting turkey sausage to reduce the fat content while adding cauliflower to increase the healthy fiber.

Four links of spicy turkey sausage links - approximately one pound
One pound chicken thighs or breast, cut into one inch cubes
One large diced onion
Three cloves of garlic, finely minced
One glove of garlic peeled
One large potato, diced into one inch cubes
Half a head of cauliflower cut into florets
Two tablespoons of brandy
Four cups of water or stock
One quarter cup of heavy cream
Five tablespoons of olive oil
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
Pinch of red chili flakes (optional)
One bay leaf
One loaf of Italian or French bread

In a skillet, remove casing and brown sausage in one tablespoon of olive oil. When cooked, move to a plate. In same skillet, add two more tablespoons of olive oil and brown chicken. Salt and pepper while browning. Cook chicken till tender but cooked and reserve with sausage. Add brandy to skillet to de-glaze, scraping sides of pan as necessary. Turn off heat and add both sausage and chicken with drippings back into skillet. Allow to rest.

In a large pot saute onions and garlic in two tablespoons of olive oil until tender and transparent. Add potatoes and cauliflower. Add bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. If sausages are not very spicy, add a few chili flakes for added kick. Cook over medium/high heat for five minutes. Add water or stock to pot and raise temperature to a boil. Add sausage and chicken with drippings into the pot. Drop heat to medium/low and allow to simmer for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. When liquid reduces to half, turn off heat and add cream. Mix into the soup which will be chunky but still retain a watery consistency.

While soup cooks slice bread on the diagonal into one half inch pieces. Toast bread. Rub toast with garlic clove and spread butter on top. Serve soup with garlicky toasts as an appetizer or main course. Beer or white wine is a great accompaniment to cut through the spicy rich soup.

Learn more about this author, Rekha Chedalavada.
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