Pairs with 2023 Fraternity Red Blend
Last Tuesday it rained on my way to work for the first time this season. By the time I got to the parking lot of the Estate house, I had a list of the next ten meals I was making in my Dutch oven. First up was this Zuppa Toscana with garlic bread — perfect for a cold, cozy night, and even better with a bottle of our Fraternity Red Blend.
I love this soup because it’s bright and sustaining, kind of like the Fraternity Red Blend itself. I’ll usually open the bottle and have a glass while I’m cooking, then the rest goes to the table as soon as dinner is ready. I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do.
Ingredients
- ½ pound bacon
- 1 pound Italian sausage
- 1 large onion, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, rosemary, or oregano, to taste
- 80 ounces chicken stock
- 3 large potatoes, cut into ½-inch dice
- 3 cups kale, stems removed, leaves torn and chopped
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¾ cup grated Parmesan, for serving
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Cornstarch slurry, optional, for thickening
Method
Start by cooking the bacon in a large pot over medium heat until it’s crispy and has rendered its fat.
Add the Italian sausage and cook until browned, breaking it apart with a spoon as it cooks.
In the same pot, add the diced onion. Cook until the onion is soft and starting to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the fresh thyme (or your herb of choice) for additional flavor.
Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Add the potatoes and kale and cook about 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are fully soft and the kale has wilted.
Reduce the heat to low and stir in the heavy cream. If a thicker soup is desired, mix a small amount of cornstarch with water to create a slurry and stir into the soup. Heat until the soup thickens to your liking, adjusting the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.
Serve hot with a generous sprinkle of grated Parmesan on top.
The Pairing
Our 2023 Fraternity Red Blend has the same bright-and-sustaining feel as this soup — ripe dark fruit with enough structure to stand up to the bacon, sausage, and Parmesan, and enough lift to keep each spoonful feeling fresh. A perfect bottle for a rainy night in.
