I first had this Portuguese staple in New Bedford, Massachusetts, when my fraternity brother Armand Fernandes Jr. took me to a Portuguese restaurant. I never forgot it, and I still make it today. It has a wonderful smoky, earthy, and rich flavor that makes you think of Portuguese fishermen spooning down quantities of this hot soup to bolster themselves against the penetrating cold of the North Atlantic. This is just one version of the soup, but a good one. Serve it with cornbread. Note that you should start this soup a day before you plan to serve it.
SERVINGS
Serves 8
INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup dry white cannellini beans
1 smoked ham hock
1/2 pound chouriço or chorizo sausage, removed
from its casing
2/3 cup dried split peas
1 teaspoon salt
6 cups deribbed and finely shredded kale leaves
2 cups peeled and chopped potatoes
2 cups finely chopped head cabbage
PREPARATION
1. Place the beans in a 3-quart saucepan and add water to cover them by 1/2 inch. Bring to a boil, cook uncovered for 3 minutes, then cover and let stand overnight.
2. The next day, brown the ham hock and the sausage in a skillet, then add them to the beans and water along with the peas, salt, and kale. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 2 hours, adding more water if the soup seems to be getting too thick. Pull the meat from the ham hock bone and return the meat to the pot. Add the potato and cabbage and simmer covered for 30 minutes or more, until the potatoes and cabbage are tender.
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