Portuguese Kale Soup

Portuguese Kale Soup

1 cup dried white beans

5 cups vegetable stock

4 whole garlic cloves, peeled

4 bay leaves

6 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon ground fennel seed

2 teaspoons smoked paprika

2 garlic clove, minced 

3 cups chopped onion

2 cups potato, chopped

2 small carrots, chopped

2 small parsnips, chopped

3 cups tomatoes, chopped 

12 cups vegetable stock

4 bay leaves

2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano 

1 cup sundried tomatoes

8 cups loosely packed chopped kale

pinch of saffron (optional)

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1.  Cook the beans in the stock with the whole garlic cloves and 2 bay leaves. 

2.  The beans should be tender in 1½ to 2 hours.

3.  Heat the olive oil in a soup pot, adding the fennel seed, smoked paprika, and garlic. 

4.  Sauté for1 minute, then add the onion, and sauté for 2 minutes.

5.  Add the potato, carrot, and parsnip. 

6.  Sauté an additional minute before adding the chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock, 2 bay leaves, 

     and oregano. 

7.  Simmer for 10 more minutes.

8.  Dry-packed tomatoes should be soaked in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drained.

5.  Chop the dried tomatoes coarsely and add, with the kale and the drained cooked beans, to the

     ingredients in the soup pot.

6.  Simmer for about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are tender and the flavors have mingled.

7.  Add the saffron, if desired, and salt and pepper to taste.