Sausage and Spinach Soup

Fresh herbs are added after the soup is made, so that it retains its bright color and aroma. You can replace each tablespoon with fresh 1 teaspoon of dried herbs, but add them together with tomatoes. Serve with toasted baguette.
Remove the skin from the sausage. Cook the sausage in a large saucepan covered with cooking spray over high heat until browned, stirring until it crumbles. Add the onion and 2 teaspoons of garlic to the pan; cook for 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water, beans, tomatoes, and stock. Cover and bring to a boil. Remove the lid and cook for 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and add the spinach, basil and oregano. Pour 1 1/2 cups of soup into each of the 4 plates and sprinkle each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons of cheese.Wine Note: To make this delicious soup, you need a medium-strength crunchy wine, such as California Pinot gris (aka pinot grigio). The crisp crust of the wine balances the juiciness of the sausage and the density of the beans. At the same time, the mass of wine is dense enough to support the weight of these ingredients. Try Morgan Pinot Gris "R & D Franscioni Vineyard" 2006 (Santa Lucia Highlands, CA), $ - Karen McNeil