VEGETARIAN SAUSAGE AND GREENS SOUP

This recipe is from my friend and colleague, Chef Erin Boyle. She heads up an organization to which I also belong, CHOW, which aims to support wellness within the food service, beverage and hospitality industries.

To make vegan, simply omit the eggs and choose vegan sausage. I used vegan chorizo both for a punch of flavor and aroma, and for its reddish color. With the collard greens' green, you could serve this for Christmas Day breakfast! Serves 2-4, depending on portion size.

Ingredients
40 grams (1/3 cup) fine yellow cornmeal (see note)
1⁄2 tablespoon olive oil
160 grams (6 ounces) vegetarian or vegan sausage, sliced or crumbled
5 cups thin vegetable stock (from 1 cube or 1 teaspoon bouillon paste)
80 to 100 grams (around 3 cups) collard greens, stemmed and thinly sliced crosswise (see note)
2 eggs (optional)
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling (optional)

Directions
Heat cornmeal in a pot over medium-high heat and cook for a few minutes, stirring  pan constantly, until lightly toasted and fragrant. Transfer cornmeal to a bowl and set aside.

Sauté the sausage in the olive oil in the same pot, turning occasionally, until browned and cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Bring vegetable stock to a boil in the same pot over high heat. Carefully and slowly whisk in reserved cornmeal, constantly whisking at first, then reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, whisking often, for about 20 minutes.

Stir in the reserved collards, first, then the sausage and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until collards wilt well. If either or both the stock or sausage are low-sodium, correct for salt.

Crack eggs into a small bowl and keep yolks whole. Poach in the simmering soup until cooked. Serve in warmed bowls and drizzle with the olive oil, if desired.

Cook's notes: The finer the cornmeal, the thicker the soup. If you wish, you may thin towards the end with more veg broth. Chef Boyle suggests that any “rough green” profitably might substitute: “kale, chard,” etc.

Not sure there isn’t a soup alive, chilled or hot, that isn’t enhanced with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.