Kitchen Garden Journal

This is a simple soup eaten daily in Portugal in infinite versions. There seems to be a Cape Cod Portuguese-American version as that contains beans and a different type of sausage, linguiça. Either way, the combination of rich potato broth, deep hearty greens and salty pork is perfect for those cold rainy fall nights. Try it with a wine from the Douro region!

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 medium potatoes, peeled and cut in 1" chunks
• 6 cups water or vegetable stock
• 1-2 bunches kale, collards, or 1/2 savoy cabbage
• Thin slices or small chunks of dry sausage such as chorizo or sopressata (optional)

Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes and water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 25-30 minutes or until potatoes break apart. Puree the soup with an immersion blender, food mill, or some other way. Return to the pan. Wash and remove the tough stems from the kale or collards and stack the leaves on top of one another.  Roll them up like a cigar and slice into very fine shreds. (They use a meat grinder-like machine for this at markets in Portugal so you can buy it pre-shredded. It looks kind of like grass clippings.) Add kale to simmering potato broth and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Serve hot in bowls garnished with the sliced sausage and a thread of high quality olive oil.