Kale Soup

(from Lonely Planet book on Portugal)

This is  the most typical of Portugal’s soups made from kale.  The stalk and tough parts are removed and the rest shredded finely until it resembles grass.  In Portugal the soup is served with a slice of maize bread and a dish of olives.

      500 grams of floury potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters.      

      1 Litre of water

      salt

      3 tablespoons olive oil

      1 onion, finely chopped

      250 grams of kale or cabbage leaves, very finely chopped

      1 small clove of garlic (optional)

      freshly ground pepper

      4 slices of spicy pork sausage if desired

Cook the potatoes in the salted water until soft.  Remove, mash and return to water along with oil, onion and shredded kale and boil for three to four minutes (the kale or cabbage should not be overcooked and mushy.)

Season and serve hot.

N.B.  I was not able (or patient enough) to shred the kale as finely as this recipe seems to require.  It was just fine anyway but we thought it could be even elegant if the soup were put  through a food processor and garnished with a bit of sour cream.

It is a wonderful recipe for people on low cholesterol diets--no milk, no butter!