Provincetown Portuguese Cookbook

Soups

Sopas

Calde Verde | Tillie's Kale Soup | Edith's Kale Soup | Holly's Kale Soup | Jane's Kale Soup | Dot and Bill's Kale Soup | Lenny's Portuguese Soup | Portuguese Soup-The Moors Restaurant | Corn Chowder | Mussel Chowder Or How Paris Changed Chowder | Fish Chowder | Real New England Clam Chowder | Macaroni Soup | Squid Stew | Squid and White Bean Soup | Portuguese Kale Soup

Dorothy and Bill Rapoza

My cousin Dorothy and her husband Bill ran a small restaurant in New Bedford, a Southeastern Massachusetts city with a very large Portuguese population, for more than 20 years. This kale soup was a favorite on their menu.

1 1/2 pounds of kale, washed and chopped into small pieces

8 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

1 lb. linguica, cut into 3 pieces

3 medium onions, diced

2 tbsp. of chopped "wet" red peppers (Amaral's or Antonio's)*

1 tbsp. salt

1 tsp. Kitchen Bouquet (or add a shank bone)

1 can of kidney beans, strained

1 can of pea soup for thickness, diluted with a can of water

and stirred until smooth.

In a large soup kettle place linguica, onions, peppers, salt, Kitchen Bouquet and water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook for 1/2 hour on medium.

Add kale and cook an hour longer.

Add the potatoes and the diluted soup.When the potatoes are cooked, add the kidney beans and cook until the beans are hot.

Serves 6-8.

*These are the brand names of Portuguese bottled red peppers, also called pimentos. Pimentos are available in most supermarkets.