Spanish Style White Bean And Sausage Soup

• 3 andouille sausage links
• 8 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 8 ounces dry great Northern beans
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pinch crushed saffron threads
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 12 ounces kale, stems removed and leaves coarsely chopped

1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a large skillet. Add sausages, and cook over medium heat for 7 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan, dice, and set aside.
2. In a large pot, combine the chicken stock and dry beans. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Add the bay leaf and a pinch of salt. Simmer, partially covered, for 2 hours. Discard bay leaf. Remove 1/2 cup of the stock to a small bowl. Stir in saffron, and set aside to soak.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage, and brown for about 5 minutes. Remove from the pan, and reduce the heat to low. Add the onion, and cook for about 5 minutes, then stir in the garlic and cook for another minute. Mix in the red bell pepper and paprika. Cook for a few minutes before adding the mixture to the soup pot along with the sausage.
4. Bring the soup to a low boil, and stir in the kale. Simmer for 10 minutes, until kale is tender. Serve hot.

chicken stock, beans, bay leaf, saffron threads, olive oil, onion, garlic, red bell pepper, sweet paprika, kale

Taken from www.allrecipes.com/recipe/81283/spanish-style-white-bean-and-sausage-soup/ (may not work)