Before it was trendy, Kale Soup

I love this Portuguese kale soup, I haven't made it in forever. Decades ago I rented an apartment owned by a Portuguese family, everything they cooked (except for grilled sardines) was amazing and it was always a treat when they would invite me down or drop off a dish. I especially loved this soup, it's hearty, a little spicy and it features kale, which thirty years ago wasn't loved like it is today. There are a few different ways to make this soup, some use beans or tomatoes but this is how I learned to love it and a pretty close replica of what Maria made. 

Here's what you need:

2 onions diced

3 carrots diced 

3 celery diced 

3-4 potatoes peeled and chopped 

3 cloves garlic crushed 

1 bunch of kale

1 lb Chorizo, casing removed and cut in bite sized pieces 

2 quarts chicken stock

Salt and pepper 

Poultry seasoning 

Brown the sausage in a soup pot with a bit of olive oil, add all vegetables except potatoes. Cook until they soften and season with salt and pepper and a generous teaspoon of poultry seasoning. You can substitute with rosemary and  thyme if you'd rather, I really like the way the poultry seasoning works in this soup though. 

While that is cooking, wash and chop the kale, removing the center stem. You can also buy a bag of kale... Back in the olden days you couldn't. Add the kale to the pot along with stock. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. 

Add potatoes and continue to simmer until they are tender making sure you have enough broth to cover. Other variations include adding diced tomato and using beans instead of potatoes. Enjoy!