Portuguese Kale and Potato Soup

Last night I made this soup (I had lots of potatoes, and kale on hand!) and it was delicious! I used Italian sausage instead of chorizo because that's what I had in the freezer, and added a few extra spices to give a little extra flavor. It was quite hearty and I recommend it!

On the topic of soup, something that I've found adds a lot to the body of a soup is blending some of the potatoes or veggies into puree to add to the broth. It gives the soup so much body and thickness, it was a great trick for me to learn. I've done this with soups that I've made up from scratch too and it's worked great. So, if you have a thin soup, try it out!

Portuguese Kale and Potato soup (www.epicurious.com)

* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onions
* 3/4 cup sliced carrots
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1 pound russet (baking) potatoes (about 2 large)
* 4 cups chicken broth
* 3/4 pound Spanish chorizo (cured spicy pork sausage, available at Hispanic markets and some specialty food shops), cut into 1/4-inch pieces
* 3/4 pound kale, stems discarded and the leaves washed well, spun dry, and shredded thin (about 8 cups packed)
* 1 pound red potatoes

-In a stock pot, cook the garlic, the onions, and the carrot in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until the vegetables are softened.
-Add the russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces, the broth, and 4 cups water, bring the liquid to a boil, and simmer the mixture, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
-While the potatoes are cooking, in a skillet cook the chorizo over moderate heat, stirring, until it is browned lightly and transfer it with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.
-With the slotted spoon transfer 1 cup of the cooked potatoes to a blender, add a little broth, and purée the mixture until it is smooth.
-Stir the purée into the soup, add the chorizo, the kale, and the red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces, and salt and pepper to taste, and simmer the soup, covered, for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

NOTE: I added about 1/2 tsp. of basil, oregano, parsley and red pepper flakes for added flavor (some of the reviews complained about the it being bland).

Happy Weekend everyone!