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Portuguese Chorizo and Kale Soup

Third-generation chef Paul Gomes prepped food with his mom as a tot in the Portuguese community of New Bedford, Massachusetts, is a graduate of New York's Culinary Institute of America and worked as an executive chef in many fine-dining establishments on both U.S. coasts. Now he lives in Williamsburg, to our joy, and he's doing his own thing, under the double-entendre name of The Occasional Chef. Try his recipe below, a hearty soup that will tantalize your spice-starved tastebuds.-Patty LaNoue Stearns

Associated Recipes: Wine Pairing
Category:
By: Paul Gomes
Portuguese Chorizo and Kale Soup

Photographer: Todd Zawistowski

Ingredients

  • 3⁄4 pound dried red kidney beans
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 5 pounds shin beef with bones
  • 2 medium onions, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, crushed through a press
  • 1 medium carrot, halved
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 2 pounds kale, tough ribs removed, leaves torn into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 pound red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 1 pound chorizo, cut into 1⁄4-inch rounds
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon crushed hot red pepper

Preparation

In a large saucepan, cover the beans with 3 cups cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, remove from the heat, cover and set aside for 1 hour; drain the beans.

Meanwhile, in a stockpot or large flameproof casserole, heat the oil. Add the beef shins and sauté over moderate heat, turning until browned on all sides, about 15 minutes. Remove the beef and set aside.

Add the onions to the pot and cook over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic.

Return the beef to the pot. Add the carrot, bay leaf, salt and enough cold water to cover by 1 inch. Simmer for 2 1⁄2 hours, skimming frequently.

Remove beef from the pot. When cool, remove meat from the bones and dice into 3⁄4-inch pieces, discarding any gristle.

Return beef to the soup, add kidney beans and cook until they are tender, 45 to 60 minutes. Add the kale, potatoes, chorizo and hot pepper. Cook one hour longer. Serves 16.

Cook’s note: Soup is even better made a day ahead and reheated. Get authentic Portuguese sausage from Amaral’s in New Bedford (508-993-7645 or www.amarals.com). Burritt’s in Traverse City (231-946-3300) and Hansen Foods in Suttons Bay (231-271-4280) also carry specialty sausages.

Wine pairing: Merlot

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