Ingredients:
- 5 turkey Italian sausage (links, 19.5 oz. hot)
- 2 tsp. olive oil
- 14.5 oz. tomatoes with juice (petite dice)
- 15 oz. cannellini beans (drained)
- 2 Tbsp. minced garlic
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp. ground fennel
- 1 1/4 cups chicken stock
- 4 cups kale leaves (chopped)
- grated Parmesan cheese (freshly-, for serving, optional)
Directions:
- Heat the oil in a large heavy frying pan, add sausages, and cook turning often, for 10 minutes or until sausage is nicely browned on all sides.
- Remove sausage to a cutting board to let it cool. As soon as the sausage is cool enough to handle, slice it into round pieces about 1 inch thick.
- While sausage cooks, dump the two cans of cannellini beans into a colander placed in the sink and rinse well with cold water (until no more foam appears.) Let beans drain well.
- Put sliced sausage, drained beans, tomatoes with juice, garlic, dried basil, dried oregano, ground fennel, and chicken stock into the slow cooker and stir gently.
- Let cook for about 2 1/2 hours on high or 5 hours on low.
- While the stew is cooking, chop the kale, cutting away and discarding any thick inner ribs. (Wash kale in a salad spinner if you’re using garden kale.)
- After 2 1/2 hours on high (or 5 hours on low), add the kale and stir gently into the stew.
- Continue cooking stew about 45 minutes more on high (or 1 1/2 hours on low).
- Serve hot, with some Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top if desired.