Soup Day

Another cold and rainy day. It seems even worse because it was so beautiful for the last two weeks. Anyway, a good day to make a pot of one of my favorite soups:

Portugese Kale Soup

1 T olive oil
1 package chorizo, sliced into thin rounds (can substitute linguica)
1 large onion, diced
3 or 4 cans (14 oz.) low-sodium beef broth
3 or 4 cans (14 oz.) low-sodium chicken broth
4 carrots, peeled and diced
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatos
1 can (15 oz.) kidney beans
1-2 lbs kale, stems removed, roughly chopped
salt & pepper to taste

Saute the onion in oil, add the chorizo and saute for 3-4 minutes. If you're a fat nazi, pour off the fat. Add the broth, carrots, and potatoes, bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Add tomatoes, kidney beans (I don't even drain them, just dump in the whole can) and kale, cook five minutes more.

All measurements are to taste. You can double or halve any ingredient and it will still taste great. Kale has woody stringy stems, so you've got to lay each stalk on the cutting board sideways and cut out the stem. I've also made this soup with swiss chard and mustard greens. Using both beef and chicken broth really deepens the flavor, although for years I made it using chicken broth only and loved it. I also made it once with only water for the liquid.

This soup always reminds me of going to the Lobster Pot in Provincetown, back when they had the old man in the straw boater and red and white striped vest calling people in to the restaurant from the street. They served it with little packages of oyster crackers. I've also had it with French bread rounds, regular saltines, Portugese sweet bread, and corn bread. Beer is also a traditional accompaniment, although that was probably because it was summer and I was on vacation.

It makes a big pot, and this soup doesn't freeze well because of the potatoes. Luckily my friend loves this soup, so I'll take half to her. She even likes to eat it cold, which I find disgusting, but c'est la vie.