RICHMOND, Va (WTVR) -
There are so many variations of soup. You can create a tasty batch to eat or freeze it and enjoy it all year long. Culinary Expert Shayne Rogers walks us through the steps on putting together her red bean sausage and rice soup and made some bourbon-infused braised pears.
Soup
12-16 ounces smoked or cured sausage, pick your favorite from the grocery case
1 T olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 carrot, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 ½ quart chicken broth
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 15 ounce cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
½ t thyme
1 bay leaf
½ c rice
Salt and Pepper
2 cups of crushed tomatoes
Heat a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. Cut sausage into ¼” slices and add to the pan with the olive oil. When the sausage has gotten brown add onions, garlic, carrot and celery. Cook, stirring frequently until the vegetables soften and start to color. Add broth, pepper, beans, thyme and bay leaf. Stir thoroughly and when the soup bubbles stir in the rice. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until the rice is tender. Discard bay leaf and season with salt and pepper.
Bourbon Braised Pears
3 green pears, sliced in half with cores removed
4 T brown sugar
3 T butter
½ cup bourbon
Whipped cream
Chopped pecans
Preheat oven to 425. Lay pears flat side down in baking pan, sprinkle with sugar and dot with butter, pour bourbon into pan around pears. Cook for about 35-45 minutes, basting with pan juices every 15 minutes. Serve with whipped cream and pecans.
