Portuguese Kale Soup

In line with my recent ode to fall over on The Humble Home, I was really looking forward to making soup last Sunday. Due to circumstances unforeseen (ahem, having way too much fun hanging out with friends in Boston drinking margaritas & watching stand-up), it was pushed back to Monday, which worked out well since my beloved Patriots were on MNF, and I had plenty of time to prep my soup so I could enjoy it while watching the lads “Squish the Fish”- which they did a hell of a job with in the second half!

Soup is an all time favorite food, a tradition that started with my childhood and continues through today. Kyle and I are big soup fans, and it is a great way to stretch ingredients to get more bang for your buck. Traditionally, most of the soups that I make have pretty humble roots- fish chowders, Hungarian mushroom, beef barley, and the likes all started as ways to feed a crowd on the cheap with whatever was on hand. I’ve always enjoyed sampling the local foods when living in different parts of the country, and the local soups are usually a pretty good example of the flavors and culture of a region. Most of the recipes I’ve picked up along the way come from working in kitchens and restaurants- while working as a lunch chef in the Virgin Islands, I picked up a great recipe for Caribbean Black Bean soup, my chowder recipe stems from my days in the kitchen at The Chowder House, Maryland Cream of Crab came from friends on the Eastern Shore, and while serving at a sushi bar in Colorado, I picked up a fantastic recipe for Mexican Tortilla soup from the immigrant workers in the kitchen.

Living in Rhode Island, I’ve started to pick up on the flavors that dominate the area around here, primarily influenced by the Portuguese culture. While I concede to not having a lot of knowledge about Portugal and the culture, I am really digging their food! Fried calamari is served with banana pepper rings, seafood chowders gain a little spice and a lovely pink tone from chorizo and fresh meats are slow simmered in wine and spices. One item I keep seeing pop up on local menus is Portuguese Kale Soup. I’ve tried it at a couple of places, and the flavors are wonderful and comforting- stewed kale, soft potatoes and onions and a little kick from the spicy sausage- all the makings for an ideal fall soup.

I started my quest for an authentic kale soup recipe online and found a lot of variations, each with their appeals. Most of the reviews offered up variations, as with many cultural foods, everyone’s mother or grandmother has their own spin on the ingredients. Building off of one recipe that seemed to have the basics down, I asked a couple of the Portuguese guys I worked with for their take. Much like the online comments, each had their own spin. With recommendations and a basic recipe in hand, I stopped by the store, picked up the components and a loaf of take & bake bread and headed home to get to work.

The end result was a wonderfully satisfying soup that wasn’t overly heavy, but can keep you full all evening or afternoon. Up until recently, kale has been a relatively underutilized green, and I am happy to see it making a resurgence in the food blogging and restaurant communities. It holds up well to the slightly spicy nature of the sausage, and doesn’t fall apart even after a couple of days in the stock. I made a huge batch, but have halved it so as to be a little more manageable. This soup will most certainly be in heavy rotation on my list, and is a welcome departure for the standard chicken noodle as a quick go-to one pot dinner.

PORTUGUESE KALE SOUP (adapted from cooks.com)

- 1lb. Fresh kale, well washed, stems removed, torn into pieces
-1 Large Vidalia onion, Frenched or julienned
-4 Large red skinned potatoes, diced large
-1 lb. Linguica loose or diced if in links (Chorizo works well)
-6-8 Cups chicken or pork broth (more or less, depending on how “soupy” you want the finished product to be)
- 4 tblspns. Olive oil
-3 large garlic cloves, minced
-1 Can Cannelloni beans, rinsed & drained
-1-2 Bay leaves
-1 hot pepper, seeded (I used a good sized Fresno)
-1 tspn. Smoked paprika
-Sea salt & fresh cracked pepper

In a large soup or stock pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add in onions and linguica and cook, stirring occasional for 10 minutes or until onions turn translucent and sausage begins to breakdown. Add minced onion & continue to cook for an additional 5 minutes. Add in potatoes, hot pepper, bay leaves, paprika, a little salt & pepper, stir well to combine, continue cooking for another 10 or so minutes until potatoes soften slightly (see note). Add in broth and turn heat to medium-high, and continue cooking until at a low boil. Add in torn kale a handful at a time, stirring in to wilt. Once all kale has been incorporated, simmer additional 10 minutes. Add in Cannelloni beans, season with salt & pepper to taste, and simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve hot with crusty bread.

Note: A great trick I picked up from making industrial batches of chowder while working at The Chowder House- when building your soup base, allow potatoes, onions and other components to hang out together for a couple of minutes before introducing liquids. Doing this will coat your potatoes and onions with the spices being used (as well as the delicious flavored fat from the sausage), which in the long run will infuse the veggies with more flavor, and make for a more cohesive finished soup.

A True Lunch Break

Almost every day, I bring my lunch to work from home. Usually it consists of leftovers from a previous meal, and a lot of times it takes shape in the form of a salad. I do my best to keep my lunches relatively light and satisfying, since there is nothing worse than sitting at your desk feeling the creeping onset of a food coma- especially when your desk lacks any sort of privacy from the rest of the office! It also may sound a little silly, but I enjoy taking a few minutes to “time out” from my daily tasks and actually enjoy my lunch whenever possible- I bring cutlery from home, stash a cloth napkin in my work bag, and make an attempt to actually have a lunch break as opposed to wolfing down some non-descript take out item while scanning over spec sheets (not that this doesn’t happen on occasion!).

During my massive re-nesting/cooking marathon of the past weekend, I was attempting to figure out a way to combine items I had on hand that I could stretch out over a couple of lunches that was a little outside of my usual routine. I get daily email newsletters from one of my favorite publications, Real Simple, and I remembered seeing a tomato & garbanzo salad that had looked appealing, and decided to play off of the concept. I had made a HUGE batch of Slow Roasted Tomatoes & Garlic on Sunday (I really should not be allowed to go to the Farmer’s Market without adult supervision!) and I had done a long drag through the market’s olive bar- one of my favorite destinations- and had picked up some olives and balsamic marinated mushrooms. I swapped out the garbanzos for Cannellini beans, which I had on hand, and the end result was a perfect salad for lunch- packed with protein, tasty veggies and loads of flavor. I was able to get three full lunches out of the mixture, and will definitely be making it again. By using the slow roasted tomatoes, the salad can be made year round, since the roasting will get rid of any mealy texture or less flavorful tomatoes in the off-season. When fresh tomatoes are in season, adding ½ a rough chopped fresh tomato brings and interesting and appealing play on flavors in the two tomato style. The salad would also make for a great hors d’ oeuvres applying the same concept- allow guests to build their own bruschetta with toasted bread, ricotta, baby arugula (baby spinach works well also) and the bean salad- wildly easy, and a perfect flavor combination.

The longer the salad sits, the better, so I would recommend starting this the night before, and dividing it up in the morning, so the beans have a chance to meld with the other flavors, and the arugula will remain crisp until lunch time. If you’re looking for a single container lunch, omit the side of ricotta cheese and toss in some cubed feta with the salad. This salad is a great way to implement simple ingredients into a very satisfying meal using minimal prep time and effort.

Bellissimo White Bean Salad
(Recipe makes enough for 3 lunches, 2 dinners or as an hors d’oeuvres for a crowd)

- 1 Can Cannellini beans, rinsed & drained
- 6 Slices Slow Roasted Tomatoes, rough chopped
- 3 Cloves Roasted Garlic, chopped (garlic will break down when combined into salad)
- ½ Ripe Roma tomato, diced
- 6 Olives, pitted & quartered (I used kalamata and Moroccan green)
- 6 Marinated mushrooms, quartered
-2 Tbspn fresh Italian parsley, chopped
- Fresh baby Arugula
- Cracked black pepper & sea salt
- Basil leaves (3-4 per serving)
- Part skim Ricotta cheese (1/4 cup per serving)
- 1Tspn. fresh grated lemon zest (per serving)
- Sliced rustic bread (2 slices per serving)

In a good sized container, combine beans, tomatoes, garlic, parsley, olives and mushrooms. Add a little of the oil from the roasted tomatoes and season with salt & pepper to taste. Mix ingredients well, cover and refrigerate overnight if possible before dividing.

Chiffonade basil leaves by stacking leaves into a neat pile, roll lengthwise and slice into thin rounds. Separate the ribbons with fingers & combine with ricotta & lemon zest in a small sealable container.

When dividing for lunches, place approx ¾ cup of bean salad into a sealable container and top with a hearty handful of baby Arugula (placing on top will prevent rapid wilting) and seal. Pack ricotta mixture & bread separately, and when ready assemble into lunch portion bruschetta and take a few minutes to relax and enjoy.

Fish Fry Friday!

Every now and then there are winter nights when you have a craving for something, but don’t have the motivation to leave the house to get exactly what you want. Last Friday was that night for me. When we lived in Annapolis, my husband, brother and I regularly had what we called Fish Fry Fridays and would load up on crunchy pan fried Cod, oven fries and the occasional plate of steamed mussels when available. I had the craving to re-visit this tradition, but really didn’t feel like trudging out to the store, so I went with what I had on hand. Most of the time I’ve got a bag of flash frozen wild caught deveined shrimp in my freezer (shell on for more flavor in stocks & stews!) and knew they would completely satisfy my seafood craving. I have to admit that I am joining the legions of panko converts, and have had a soft spot for the light crunchy Japanese breadcrumbs after our first introduction after a stint working in a Japanese restaurant in Colorado in 2004. The three step breading process may seem a bit tedious but it’s pretty easy to get a rhythm going once you get into it, and it’s well worth the results. The breading process is the most labor intensive part of the meal, and at 10 minutes is an indication to how easily this meal comes together. I also have to admit that I have become a bit of a snob when it comes to tartar sauce- I will gladly take the extra 5 minutes to make it fresh rather than deal w/ the overly sweet pre-made version, not to mention the preservatives and additives in most jarred stuff- eek! As far as the “chips” portion, I decided to forgo this craving and instead went with some hearty cannelli beans, which ended up being a great pairing. The bean dish is insanely easy to throw together, and can be cooked and ready while the shrimp are in the oven. Happy Friday!


Panko Shrimp with White Beans and Greens and Homemade Tartar Sauce

For the Tartar Sauce:
-1 cup good mayonnaise (if not homemade, Hellman’s is my go to)
-2 tblspns chopped capers
-2 tblspns fine minced red or sweet onion
-2 fine minced dill pickle spears
-1 tblspn fresh chopped dill
-½ tblspn fresh lemon juice
-½ tblspn caper “juice” (the brining liquid from the jar)

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and leave in fridge while making other components so that flavors may come together.

For the Shrimp:
-1 lbs. deveined RAW shrimp, shells removed, tails left on (starting with raw shrimp will ensure that in the end the shrimp will not be over cooked and rubbery. I like to leave the tails on for easy dipping and eating, just be sure to place out a small bowl for tails)
-1 cup panko bread crumbs, seasoned with:
- 1-2 teaspoons seafood seasoning (Old Bay comes to mind)
-A couple of turns of fresh cracked pepper
-Pinch of cayenne pepper
-1 cup all purpose flour seasoned with cracked pepper & salt
-1 large egg, beaten w/ a little champagne vinegar or lemon juice
-A large cookie sheet lined with parchment paper & topped with an oven proof wire rack, sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pat shrimp dry between paper or kitchen towels. To set up “assembly line, set up shrimp at one end, followed by a shallow dish or plate with flour mixture, followed by egg wash, then panko mixture in shallow dish or plate and finish up with your lined baking sheet. One at a time, dredge shrimp in flour, dip in egg wash, and coat in panko mixture and lay flat on baking sheet. Repeat with all shrimp and let rest for 10 minutes before firing in the oven to ensure that the breading won’t fall off while baking. When ready, bake for 20 or so minutes on the middle rack until crispy, pink and cooked through. Depending on the size of shrimp you use, keep a watchful eye for over cooking and adjust timing accordingly.

For the White Beans with Greens:
-16oz. cannelli beans (either dried that have been soaked according to package directions or canned that have been rinsed & drained)
-2 cloves garlic, minced
-8 oz baby arugula, spinach, kale or any other hearty greens
-½ cup vegetable stock or water
-1-2 tbspn olive oil
-1-2 tbspn white wine (I used Sauv Blanc)
-Cracked pepper & sea salt to taste

Heat oil in bottom of sauté pan or wok over medium heat and add in garlic, cooking for a few minutes. Add in drained beans, white wine and stock or water & continue cooking a few more minutes until beans are heated through and liquid has cooked off a bit. Mix in greens & stir well to combine and wilt greens into the mix. Serve shrimp on top of beans with tartar sauce for dipping and a wedge of lemon for tartness.

Cold Weather Comforts

There is nothing better than getting out early, immediately donning your most comfortable duds, pouring a glass of wine and watching the snow fall. To add to this perfection of a day, we both began tooling around in the kitchen, looking to make something to enhance our snowy afternoon. And I will say this now for all to witness- my husband is the official Chief Baker in our household, hands down. I have made mention before about my complete inability to bake, and discovering his almost natural ability to make beautiful fluffy treats in all shapes and size, I am happy to hand the task

The other day, Kyle and I were gifted with the treat loved by those of all ages- a snow day. While I still reported to work in the morning for a couple of hours, Kyle was able to get out for the whole day, so he trudged our 4 wheel drive beast out to Portsmouth to pick me up and we (cautiously!) raced home to enjoy the rest of the afternoon.

(and the stand mixer) over to him! I will get him at some point to scribble down his lovely bread recipe, but will share now what I ended up making. Soup has always been the perfect accompaniment to a cold day. I had some odds n’ ends rolling around in our fridge that I was looking to use up, and in my family’s tradition (thank you, Old Delicious), soup is usually the best avenue to use said bits up. I ended up with a wonderfully simple and very satisfying tortellini soup that was just as good for lunch the next as it was for supper last night. For mine, I used a combination of baby arugula and spinach, but you can use any greens that you have on hand. The ingredient list was also perfectly easy and relaxed and took very little time to prepare. Simple ingredients, simple preparation, simple pleasures. It was a good night to be snowed in…


Tortellini Soup with Onions and Greens
-1 12-16oz. package o
f fresh tortellini (I used sausage, but any
variety works well)
- 2-2 ½ quarts of chicken stock, homemade preferably
-1/2-3/4 of a sweet onion, sliced thinly
-3 good sized garlic cloves, finely minced
- 5 oz. fresh baby arugula
-5 oz. fresh baby spinach
-6-7 crimini mushrooms, sliced thinly
-1 Bay leaf
-Parmesan or any other hard cheese rind, optional
-Pinch of fresh grated nutmeg
-Fresh grated lemon zest
-Couple of tablespoons of olive oil
-French sea salt & fresh cracked pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in the bottom of a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add in sliced onion & begin to sweat, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper, add in bay leaf and continue to cook until the onion becomes soft, but still holds their shape. Add in garlic, allow to sweat out a bit longer (watch for over browning!), and continue stirring. Once garlic starts to release, add in chicken stock and cheese rind (if using) and allow to come up to a simmer, still over medium heat. About 10-15 minutes prior to serving, add in tortellini, greens and mushrooms and cook until pasta has warmed through, greens have softly wilted and mushrooms have absorbed some of the stock. Grate over a couple of passes of fresh nutmeg and stir. To serve, ladle into soup bowls, grate over a little fresh lemon zest and serve immediately. Pairs beautifully with fresh baked bread…