Sausage and beans -- a great combination

So the theme goes -- another day, another soup. This original recipe isn't necessarily healthy, but with a few minor twists it can be.

This recipe is from a book called "500 Soups" by Susannah Blake.

Spicy Sausage and Bean Soup

2 tbsp. olive oil
5 pork sausages
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 1/2 red chilies, seeded and chopped
1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
3 1/4 cups beef or chicken stock
2 (14 oz.) cans cranberry beans or cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
2 tbsp. fresh parsley, minced
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven. Add the sausages, brown them all over, and then remove. Add the onion, garlic and chilies to the pan, and saute gently for 3 minutes.

Cut the sausages into thick slices and return them to the pan, adding the tomatoes and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat; cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes.

Put half the beans in a food processor or blender and a few ladlesful of the soup stock. Process until smooth, then stir the puree into the soup with the remaining beans, and simmer for a further 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, and stir in the parsley before serving.

Cook's notes: I use sweet Italian turkey sausage. The Jennie-O brand is our favorite, and I usually just use three. I also take the sausage out of the casings, and brown it like I would ground turkey, but without the oil. I then sautee the onions and garlic in the sausage drippings. In addition, I usually skip the pureeing of the beans. We like it a bit chunkier. To make it even more hearty, a potato or some celery, would be a good addition. The book adds a few variations on this recipe: Use vegetarian sausages and vegetable broth; omitting the chilies for a less-spicy version; and adding roasted red peppers.