Carl's Pork and Bean Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 15 oz can of Black Soy Beans
• 1 lb of Italian sausage
• 5 to 6 smoked ham hocks
• 1 to 2 oz of baby spinach
• 3 or 4 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 2 sticks of celery
• 2 sticks of anise/fennel (optional)
• fresh oregano and sage
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmigiano Reggiano

The first step is to make Stock from the ham hocks. You can do this in a pressure cooker. Simply put them in the cooker and add water to the fill line, and the garlic. Add the tomato sauce and herbs. Run the cooker on high (or the meat setting) for 2 1-hour cycles. Transfer to a soup pot.

Chop the celery (and optionally the fennel) into small pieces and saute in a fry pan with 2 tbsp olive oil.

Crumble and saute' the sausage in the same frying pan over medium-low heat until brown and crispy bits form on the edges.

Add the veggies and sausage to the stock along with the beans.

Just before serving, add a small handful of baby spinach to a hot bowl of soup. The spinach will cook in the soup at the table yet still retains a fresh flavor. Serve with the parm on the side for sprinkling.

Enjoy!