Kosher Cajun Meatball Soup

It's time for my weekly soup experiment. Today, I had some leftover beef sausage in the freezer and some "cajun" flavored canned tomatoes I wasn't sure when I'd use. I decided to make them the basis for a new soup, and while I won't dare call the "cajun" flavors authentic, they sure are tasty. Kosher Cajun Meatball Soup

• 1/4 lb kosher beef sausage
• 4 medium onions, diced
• 2 fourteen oz cans "Cajun" seasoned tomatoes
• 1 fourteen oz can red beans
• 1 fourteen oz can white beans
• 1 10ish oz can condensed kosher beef broth
• 1 eight oz can tomato sauce
• 1 twelve oz bottle beer (like wine, cook with what you drink)
• 1 six oz cup black coffee (trust me, even if you hate coffee, you want the bitterness)
• 4 ears fresh corn, cut off cob (or 1 twelve oz can yellow corn)
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 heaping tsp "cajun" seasoning
• 1 tsp black pepper

Roll the sausage into small (nickel sized) meatballs. Brown meatballs in a large saucepan (if you don't, they'll fall apart). Drain fat and remove meatballs.

In the same pan, brown the onions until translucent.

Add meatballs, onions, and everything else to a large soup pot and stir until well mixed. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat tolow, cover, and simmer for at least 1 hour.

Variations:

• Don't like beans? Leave them out. While the soup is simmering, cook 1/2 pound of your favourite pasta (I find ditali works well) according to package directions. Five minutes before serving, mix in the pasta and let it simmer for a few minutes.
• This is a good "stone soup" recipe. If you've got a little leftover bell peppers, mushrooms, or potatoes from last night's dinner, go ahead and throw them in.

A note on beer and coffee

If you just mix beer and coffee, you have a horrid tasting mess. It's no wonder people raise their eyebrows when I recommend both in tomato based soups. Trust me. The combination works. Beer adds a wonderful sweetness to soup, which is balanced by the bitterness of coffee, resulting in a wonderfully rich flavor. Even if you hate both beer and coffee, try using both in the soup. The alcohol will burn off and the flavors will mingle with the spices and other ingredients until the whole truly is greater than the sum of its parts.