Tuscan Soup with Farmers Sausage

This soup has become a household favourite lately.  Tuscan bean soup is a bowl full of comfort.  The beans make it rich and creamy, without cream, and the Tuscan flavours of sage really deliver the warmth.

Enjoy!

Tuscan Bean Soup with Farmers Sausage

1 medium - large onion, thinly sliced
3-5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 package farmers sausage, sliced (can use wonderful Italian sausages with fennel, for example, but this was on hand)
2-6 cups cooked beans (yes, that much variation because it is up to you what you like.  I used pinto beans, from dry, that I quickly cooked in the Instant Pot)
2-6 cups tinned chopped tomatoes (Because it is Spring and good fresh tomatoes are impossible)
3 red peppers (yellow, orange, also good, but green would change the flavour)
2-4 tbs chopped fresh sage, or crumbled dry.  (Beans can take a lot of flavour added)
1 tbs dried chilies (more or less, it is your soup)
Salt and pepper, to tastes.  Beans need salt
water, as needed
olive oil, to start sautéeing

In a large pot, sauté the onions and garlic.  Add the sliced farmers sausage and cook until mostly cooked through. Add the peppers and cook for 5+ minutes before adding the tomatoes and seasoning.  Simmer until the beans are well incorporated and breaking down.  Check seasonings and enjoy!  Lovely with bread.

Halal roasted lamb shank rubbed with Ras el Hanout and orange marmalade for Easter Dinner

Wonderful fresh lamb shank available now at the new location of Millad's Supermarket, located at 396 Notre Dame in Winnipeg.  This was so simple to prepare, with fantastic results!

1 lamb shank, enough for 4 people
2 tbs Ras el Hanout
2 tbs Orange Marmalade
good drizzle olive oil
1 tsp salt

Roast on a bed of veggies (here I have leeks, onion, carrots, red peppers) with water.

Mix the spices, marmalade, olive oil, and salt together and rub mixture over the lamb shank.  Let sit in the refrigerator for a few hours.  Preheat oven to 350ºF.  Place veggies in the bottom of roasting dish and the lamb on top, as pictured.  Roast for 20-25 minutes/lb, or, until the meat comes easily off of the bone.  Let the meat rest, and carve and serve.

Enjoy!

I served the lamb with the vegetables, puréed with cream, as a sauce, with pilaf and fiddleheads.