It's a Keeper: Portuguese Chourico and Kale Soup

I've really been on a roll with soups lately. This one is an old favorite: Portuguese Chourico and Kale Soup. It's among the things I make when I can't decide what the heck to make. This recipe is also very healthy since it's chock full of vegetable goodness.

This recipe also reminds me how far I have come in my cooking journey. Before I started making Rachael's recipes, I am almost 100 percent sure I had no idea what kale was. And there's no way I would have eaten diced tomatoes out of a can (sad but true). So, the fact that this turned into one of my favorites is pretty interesting. Well, interesting to me.....

You can find this recipe in the old classic Comfort Foods. There's no way this will take you more than 30 minutes, unless you are very new to chopping veggies, since it's just about dumping stuff into the pot. Here's the recipe with my comments in brackets:

2 tablespoons (2 turns around the pan) extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium white waxy potatoes, like yukon golds, peeled and diced
2 medium onions, chopped
4 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
1 pound kale, coarsely chopped
Coarse salt and pepper
1 (15-ounce) can garbanzos (chick peas), drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes
1 pound diced chourico, casing removed [not carried in my grocery store, so I use linguica]
1 quart chicken broth [I use chicken stock instead, since it has more flavor]
Warm, crusty bread

Heat oil in a deep pot over medium high heat. Add potatoes and onions, cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add garlic, bay leaves, and kale to the pot. Cover pot and wilt greens 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add beans, tomatoes, chourico, and broth to the pot and bring soup to a full boil. Reduce heat back to medium and cook 5 to 10 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.

Serve soup with hunks of crusty bread and butter.

Just a couple more shots: