The day before you make this dish, soak in cold water:
1.5-2.5 cups dried beans (red beans and navy beans are good in this recipe)
In a clean stockpot, combine the soaked beans (drained of their soaking liquid) with:
1 large ham hock or comparable soup bone, cut into pieces to allow the marrow to escape
3-4 quarts stock
1 quart water (or more if you do not have sufficient stock)
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer, using a slotted spoon or ladle to skim off and discard any scum that rises to the surface. After 1 hour of simmering, add:
0.5 pound dried chorizo sausage, cut into 1/4″ slices
1 pound linguiça (or other sausage, cooked or uncooked), cut into 1/4″ slices
2 bunches curly kale, center stem removed and discarded, leaves washed and coarsely chopped
Simmer for another hour, then add:
4-5 medium waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into large dice
Red pepper flakes to taste
1-2 T sherry vinegar
S+P to taste
Simmer for at least another hour, adding more stock or water as needed to keep all the ingredients submerged. The longer the soup simmers, the better the flavor; try to simmer the soup for a minimum of five hours.
Before serving, remove the meat from the ham hock and shred it into the soup. Scoop out any marrow left in the bone.
Serves 8-10
This recipe is adapted from Anthony Bourdain’s Appetites: “Portuguese Kale and Sausage Soup”
