Nothing is quite as comforting as a hearty and spicy soup during the cold winter months. Portuguese Soup is most definitely a favorite in our home. Chunks of good sausage stewed with cabbage, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes and specked with dark kidney beans, creates a delicious combination for a perfect winter soup. Accompanied by warm cornbread spread with butter, this dish will most certainly become a most-loved comfort food during the frigid months. Let's get started!
Coarsely chop the celery, onion, garlic, potatoes and cabbage.
Cut the sausage and carrots into diagonal slices.
Drizzle olive oil into a preheated dutch oven. Add the onions and sauté.
Once the onions have become translucent, add the celery and stir in.
Spoon some cayenne pepper paste into the dutch oven, as well as the crushed garlic, and give it a stir.
Add the sausage to the dutch oven, and allow it to mix with all the other ingredients for a few minutes.
Pour in the wine and and let it "SFUMARE" or cook out.
Once the wine has cooked out, place the chopped cabbage into the pot until it slightly wilts. When the ingredients just begin to stick to the bottom of the pot and caramelize it is time to add the rest of the ingredients.
Add the carrots, potatoes and crushed tomatoes to the stew.
Pour in the chicken broth and allow everything to come to a gentle boil. Cook about 20 minutes.
Finally mix in the dark kidney beans and cook for an additional 15-20 minutes. If too dry, add additional water or broth.
The soup is ready to be served and is delicious with hot cornbread. Enjoy!
*Portuguese soup is a perfect meal to portion out and freeze. It is even more flavorful the next day.