Kale may seem like a trendy food your kids might never eat, but Portuguese Kale Soup is… not. It’s a traditional staple along New England’s south coast. Massachusetts and Rhode Island have the highest concentrations of people with ancestry from Portugal than any other states in the US. These are regions where Portuguese first landed ashore possibly as early as 1511. From the late 1800s into the 1960s, waves of Portuguese immigrants were literally the backbone of coastal New England’s economic booms in whaling, fishing, textiles, and farming. Cape Cod, Buzzards Bay, and Rhode Island are home turf for me, and this means Portuguese Kale Soup has always been on the menu rotation at my house.
Land-locked as a Colorado resident since 2005, this also means if I want Portuguese Kale Soup, I have to make it – nobody here serves it. And it means nobody here makes a good linguica, the spicy smoky Portuguese sausage essential to this recipe (not too many Portuguese bakeries or Portuguese family sausage operations around Boulder!). I improvise with a serviceable hot Italian sausage from Natural Grocers, a market chain with strict policies for no GMO products, organic wherever possible for everything in the store, and organic-only produce. Other than getting a good rustic and spicy sausage in the mix, recipes vary with whether or not to include red kidney beans (a pared down version called Caldo Verde excludes them) or tomatoes – both of which I call keepers.
We serve this with a hearty gluten free bread from Kim and Jakes Bakery, which, luckily for me, is a small family business right in my neighborhood. The peasant bread from this gluten free facility is perfect with this soup.
Portuguese Kale Soup
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A full meal soup perfect for cold blustery days. Makes about 3 quarts of soup. The longer this soup simmers the better it will taste, but you can enjoy it as soon as the vegetables are cooked soft. In any case, don't simmer longer than two hours.
A full meal soup perfect for cold blustery days. Makes about 3 quarts of soup. The longer this soup simmers the better it will taste, but you can enjoy it as soon as the vegetables are cooked soft. In any case, don't simmer longer than two hours.
Next add carrots and potatoes. Cover with remaining chicken broth. If you have homemade chicken broth with some of the fat in it, this is ideal. If not use boxed organic chicken broth such as Kirkland brand (Costco) or Imagine brand. Bring to simmer on medium heat, and cover.
While the vegetables are simmering, prepare your sausage. Place links in a skillet with a little olive oil, water, or extra broth to prevent sticking. Cover and cook on medium high heat til cooked through, and browned on all sides (turn as needed after 2-3 minutes per side). Set aside to cool enough to handle them.
Add canned tomatoes, tomato soup, parsley, and kale. Stir well to mix everything. Cut the sausage into small chunks once they are cool enough to handle, and stir those in also. Cover and simmer gently for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally to mix.
If you are including kidney beans, stir these in long enough to heat through, ahead of serving.
Once all veggies are soft and beans are heated through, enjoy with crusty GF bread.
Recipe Notes
You can use tomato paste in lieu of Imagine Organic Tomato Basil soup: Mix 2 Tablespoons paste with 1.5 cups water and add to the soup.
With all the heavy food we love to eat at this time of year, not to mention sweets and homemade eggnog, I was craving a light but satisfying raw greens combo. This slaw is perfect – lighter than summertime slaw with raw cabbage or broccoli, but hearty with its creamy dressing, seeds, and dates. Also a colorful accompaniment for a holiday meal spread of roasts, fish, or chowders.
Kale Slaw with Honey Lime Dressing
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With all the heavy food we love to eat at this time of year, not to mention sweets and homemade eggnog, I was craving a light but satisfying raw greens combo. This slaw is perfect - lighter than summertime slaw with raw cabbage or broccoli, but hearty with its creamy dressing, seeds, and dates. Also a colorful accompaniment for a holiday meal spread of roasts, fish, or chowders.
Servings
Prep Time
6people
15minutes
Servings
Prep Time
6people
15minutes
Kale Slaw with Honey Lime Dressing
Print Recipe
With all the heavy food we love to eat at this time of year, not to mention sweets and homemade eggnog, I was craving a light but satisfying raw greens combo. This slaw is perfect - lighter than summertime slaw with raw cabbage or broccoli, but hearty with its creamy dressing, seeds, and dates. Also a colorful accompaniment for a holiday meal spread of roasts, fish, or chowders.
Servings
Prep Time
6people
15minutes
Servings
Prep Time
6people
15minutes
Ingredients
1small-medium bunchkaleany type chopped into small pieces
1small headlettucebutter lettuce, red lettuce, or green lettuce, chopped into small pieces or shredded
Wash, rinse, spin dry, and chop the greens, scallions, and cilantro. Toss together in a large serving bowl. Grate in the carrot, and add the minced celery, dates, and sunflower seeds Toss again.
You will need an immersion blender or small food processor to make this dressing easily. Otherwise, use a rubber or wire whisk or electric beaters with whisk attachments. Start with the egg, lime juice, and mustard and process or blend for 15 seconds. Next, add the oils (slowly while blending is ideal) and continue to process until it thickens into a mayonnaise-like texture. Add the honey and salt and finish blending. Adjust lime juice, honey or salt to your taste, blending thoroughly to creamy texture, then fold in the lime zest if you have it.
Pour dressing generously over the greens and toss all together into an evenly dressed slaw. Enjoy!
