The dinner that almost wasn't

Food tip # 238(a): Always buy the right type of beans. Food tip # 238(b): Make sure beans are not rock-hard before adding them in copious amounts to a soup.

Because that is precisely what I did not do, and what was supposed to be a simple, M-and-Epicurious-approved chorizo and white bean stew almost turned into a goopy, flavourless legume-y mess.

This dish started out as a last-ditch attempt to save a half-cooked pot of onions, garlic, sausage and broth from the garbage can, and ended up being a surprisingly interesting and tasty stew/soup (stoup?). The dried shiitake mushrooms are optional, but I really enjoy their texture and the deep flavour that they give the broth. A large bag of fresh spinach is key; their freshness is the perfect foil to the smoky spicy sausage. This soup would be excellent topped with a dollop of sour cream and a glass of red wine - which is what I need after that culinary near-disaster.

Sausage, spinach and wild rice stoup with thyme and mushrooms
Wildly adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients
- 1 19 oz can of diced tomatoes
- 2 hot Italian sausages
- 10 oz fresh spinach, chopped
- 2/3 cup wild rice, rinsed
- 1/3 dried mushrooms (I used shiitake), chopped
- 4-5 cloves of garlic, minced finely
- 1 large onion, sliced thinly
- 8-10 sprigs of thyme
- 4 cups chicken broth
- olive oil
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a large skillet, heat 1/2 tbsp of oil on medium heat; cook sausages until well browned, transfer to a plate and set aside.

2. In the same skillet, heat another 1/2 tbsp oil on medium heat and add garlic and onions; cook until onions are browned and slightly translucent. Add thyme and stir well.

3. Transfer onions, garlic and thyme to a large pot; add broth and canned tomatoes. Bring to a boil and add rice and dried mushrooms. Lower the heat and cover; simmer for 40 minutes, or until rice is cooked and mushrooms are soft.

4. Slice sausages into 1/2 inch pieces and add to the stoup; add paprika and stir well. Fold in chopped spinach in handfuls, allowing each handful to wilt before adding the next.

5. Stir well and add salt and pepper to taste.