Andouille sausage is one of my favorite things. Salty, spicy, savory, and loaded with umami—what's not to like. I have often added it to bean or lentil soup, but always felt vaguely disappointed by the result. The soup itself never seems to do justice to the sausage.

So, I set about trying to create a soup that would exhalt—rather than dilute—the character of andouille sausage. As a Creole creation, andouille is of course defined by its spice, mostly cayenne but usually including a blend with paprika and other milder peppers. Of course there's plenty of garlic, plus some cumin, thyme, and oregano. I kept this same seasoning profile for the soup. I wanted to keep beans in the picture for heft, but I also wanted (it's been a cold winter) something with a little creaminess, some stick-to-the-ribs and warm-you-through quality to it.

Last year I grew some good field corn in the garden (King corn, massive 14-inch ears on 10-foot stalks), and dried the cobs to make into corn meal. We have been very pleased with the flavor and texture of the polenta made with this corn, and I thought, why not try it for thickening the soup? The result was fantastic. To give the soup some acid and bite I added canned tomatillos (also from the garden), and then used a little milk to mellow the background.

The end result was exactly what I was hoping for: strong, spicy, and satisfying.

I sized this for three servings because I wanted to scale to 1 link of sausage, about 5 oz., and that's just how it worked out. It will store well and be even better as a leftover, so don't be afraid to make a little more than you need. If you don't want to soak your beans (or forget the night before) you can substitute a regular 14 ounce can of beans. I recommend pintos or cranberries. (I used turkey craw beans from our garden.) If you aren't big on spiciness, you could easily substitute a milder sausage, and go easy on the peppers. If you don't have canned tomatillos, buy them fresh and chop them, then puree them and the peppers with just enough water to make a good sauce. You'll be adjusting the thickness of the soup anyway, whether by simmering it down or, if already too thick, by thinning it a bit. You don't want porridge, but you don't want it watery. Find the sweet spot.