Sopa da Pedra - Portuguese Stone Soup

Ingredients

• 1 cup (200g) dried kidney beans, soaked overnight 1 cup (200g) dried kidney beans, soaked overnight
• 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, diced 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, diced 2 carrots, diced
• 2 potatoes, peeled and diced 2 potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 tomato, diced 1 tomato, diced
• 1/2 cup kale, chopped 1/2 cup kale, chopped
• 1 Portuguese chouriço sausage, sliced 1 Portuguese chouriço sausage, sliced
• 200g pork shoulder, diced 200g pork shoulder, diced
• 6 cups (1.4L) chicken or vegetable broth 6 cups (1.4L) chicken or vegetable broth
• Salt and pepper to taste Salt and pepper to taste

Nutrition

• Calories (kcal / KJ): 350 kcal / 1465 KJ
• Fat (total, saturated): 12g, 4g
• Carbohydrates (total, sugars): 40g, 6g
• Protein: 20g
• Fiber: 10g
• Salt: 1.5g

Preparation

1. 1.
   Drain and rinse the soaked kidney beans.
2. 2.
   In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and sauté until translucent.
3. 3.
   Add the carrots, potatoes, tomato, kale, chouriço sausage, and pork shoulder to the pot. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. 4.
   Add the soaked kidney beans and broth to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until the beans and meat are tender.
5. 5.
   Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. 6.
   Serve hot with crusty bread.

Treat your ingredients with care...

• Kidney beans — Soaking the beans overnight helps to reduce cooking time and ensures they cook evenly.
• Portuguese chouriço sausage — Look for authentic Portuguese chouriço sausage for the best flavor. If unavailable, you can substitute with Spanish chorizo or another smoky sausage.
• Kale — Remove the tough stems before chopping the kale. This will ensure a more tender texture in the soup.

Tips & Tricks

• For a vegetarian version, omit the pork shoulder and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth.
• Add a splash of red wine to the soup for an extra layer of flavor.
• If you prefer a smoother consistency, use an immersion blender to partially blend the soup before serving.
• Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for future meals.
• Garnish the soup with fresh parsley or cilantro for a pop of color and freshness.

Serving advice

Serve Sopa da Pedra hot in individual bowls. Accompany it with crusty bread for dipping and soaking up the flavorful broth.

Presentation advice

When serving Sopa da Pedra, make sure to showcase the colorful ingredients by ladling the soup into bowls and arranging the vegetables and meat on top. Sprinkle some fresh herbs on the surface for an appealing presentation.