Recipe: Portuguese Chourico and Kale Soup

PORTUGUESE CHOURICO AND KALE SOUP
Source: Rachael Ray
Yield: 4 servings (This would probably feed more like 8 people- Jackie's note)

"This recipe is a quick version of a wonderful soup I had in Mystic, Connecticut, a Portuguese community nestled by the sea in New England. This soup is a winter wonder."

2 tablespoons (2 turns around the pan) extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium white waxy potatoes, like yukon golds, peeled and diced
2 medium onions, chopped
4 to 6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 bay leaves, fresh or dried
1 pound kale, coarsely chopped
Coarse salt and pepper
1 (15-ounce) can garbanzos (chick peas), drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes
1 pound diced chourico, casing removed
1 quart chicken broth
Warm, crusty bread

Heat oil in a deep pot over medium high heat.

Add potatoes and onions, cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add garlic, bay leaves, and kale to the pot. Cover pot and wilt greens 2 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper. Add beans, tomatoes, chourico, and broth to the pot and bring soup to a full boil. Reduce heat back to medium and cook 5 to 10 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.

Serve soup with hunks of crusty bread and butter.

Cook's Note:
If you are in Mystic, ask for cherise (phonetic pronunciation), if you want to sample the chourico.