Italian Sausage and Cabbage Stew

I bet I know exactly what you're craving right now - you're in Tucson, it's going to be 103 degrees any day here, and you want some hot Italian sausage and cabbage stew. I just knew it.

I'm always collecting new recipes to try, but sometimes I just don't get around to them for a while because I'm stuck on my favorites. Well, I finally got around to trying this hearty winter weather recipe in the middle of an Arizona summer. And guess what? It still rocked! I can only imagine how great it'll taste when it's cold outside!

A few notes: 
1) you could use sweet instead of hot sausage, 
2) you could sprinkle chopped parsley on top with the cheese at the end (unless you're like me and aimlessly buy cilantro instead), and 
3) you might use two can of beans instead, since the beans kind of disappear otherwise.

Italian Sausage and Cabbage Stew
Slightly adapted from Simply Recipes, serves 5

• 1 pound hot Italian sausage, bulk, or removed from casings
• 1 large yellow onion, half sliced and half minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 cups salt-free chicken broth
• 1 15-ounce can of white beans (cannellini, Great Northern, or Navy), drained
• 1 quart salt-free chicken broth
• 3 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 head cabbage
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup to a cup of freshly grated Parmesan or pecorino cheese for garnish

METHOD
1. Heat a medium-high heat in a large (8-quart), thick-bottomed pot. Add the sausage, breaking it up into pieces as you put it into the pot in a single layer. When the sausage has nicely browned, remove it with a slotted spoon and set aside.

2. Add the minced onion (save the sliced onion for later) and sauté for 3-4 minutes, stirring often. Once the onions give up some of their water, use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the minced garlic and cook for another 1-2 minutes.

3. Add the white wine and the beans and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes. If you want, for a thicker base, use an immersion blender to blend some (or all) of the beans and onions.

4. Add the water, stock, salt, cabbage, sliced onion half, bay leaves and browned sausage. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, then uncover and continue cooking until the cabbage is tender, about another 10-20 minutes.

To serve, sprinkle with grated cheese.