Minestrone with sausages and beans

Tamara West

A variation on the classic minestrone, using good quality sausages packed with flavour. When using fennel bulbs, discard the outer leaves as they are tough. Cut bulbs in half and then slice.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp	Olive oil
300 g	Italian sausages, skinned and crumbled (Main)
250 g	Fennel, (about 2 bulbs) finely sliced, fronds chopped and reserved
1	Leek, trimmed and finely sliced
1 clove	Garlic, crushed
1 Ltr	Chicken stock
¾ tsp	Fennel seeds, crushed
400 g	Canned tomatoes, chopped in juice
1 can	Butter beans, 400g, drained and rinsed (or 1 cup el Navarrico large butter beans, drained and rinsed) (Main)
1 cup	Macaroni, cooked
1 piece	Parmesan cheese, grated, for serving

Directions

1. Heat olive oil in a heavy-based saucepan. Add the crumbled sausage and cook over a high heat until browned. Transfer sausage to a plate.
2. Reduce heat to low and add fennel, leek, garlic and crushed fennel seeds. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add chicken stock and tomatoes along with browned sausage and simmer gently for about 20 minutes or until leeks are very soft.
3. Add beans and macaroni and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cook for a further 2 minutes until hot.
4. Ladle soup into warmed bowls and sprinkle with reserved chopped fennel fronds.
5. Serve with parmesan cheese and crusty bread, toasted if desired. A little aioli (garlic mayonnaise) for spreading is great here too.