Sunchokes are almost gone

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This recipe is for sort of a soupy stew with Italian sausage and vegetables. We both enjoyed it for supper on Saturday with homemade cornbread. I made another recipe from my favorite cornbread cookbook, The Cornbread Gospels by Crescent Dragonwagon. This time I made a Northern (Yankee) style cornbread, Durgin Park Cornbread.

Sunchoke and Sausage Soup

4 slices bacon, diced
1 (16 ounce) package Italian sausage, coarsely chopped (I used Italian sausage from Jordandal Farms)
1 pound sunchokes, peeled, halved, and cut into 1/2-inch slices
6 small white potatoes, peeled and halved (1/2 pound or more)
3 stalks celery, diced
1 large onion, diced
4-5 green onions or potato onions or 1 leek (whatever you have and need to use)
3 cups chopped Yukina Savoy (1 bunch) or spinach
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart chicken stock
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (1-2 teaspoons dry if fresh isn't available)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano (1-2 teaspoons dry if fresh isn't available)
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 pinch ground paprika
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup water

Brown the chopped bacon and sausage in a skillet. Place in soup pot with the sunchokes, potatoes, celery, onion, green onions and garlic. Pour in the chicken stock. Cover, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Season with parsley, basil, oregano, cayenne pepper, paprika, salt, and pepper. Add chopped greens. Shake flour and water together in a jar. Put the flour on top of the water and shake until blended. Stir into the simmering soup, and continue simmering until slightly thickened for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

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