I imagined coming in off a fishing boat on a cold early winter day, unloading the boat and then heading down to a local establishment for some nourishment. Something hot and spicy and filling. So I immediately thought New Bedford and something with a Portuguese influence.
The Finished Product
Chourico is a classic Portuguese sausage that comes in varying degrees of heat but all versions are over the top with flavor. So that was going to be the basis of the soup. And I wanted the hot version (Linguica being the milder of the two sausages) and would even add a little more heat in the form of a nice hot paprika or even cayenne pepper. The classic version of this type of soup is made with kale. But I'm not crazy about kale and thought cabbage would be a really nice addition because it is almost meaty in consistency and is also very filling.
Gaspar's Chourico, a Popular Brand in New England
On top of that add some onions, garlic, potatoes and beans and you have a real hearty meal for that cold wintry day. So give it a try and let us know how you change it up to make it your own. Enjoy!
1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a heavy soup pot, preferably cast iron.
2. Add the sausage, onion and garlic and saute until the sausage has rendered its fat and the onion is sweated, about 5-10 minutes.
Chourico Diced
3. Add the chicken stock and the bay leaf, paprika, salt and thyme and bring to a simmer.
4. Simmer at a light boil for 15 minutes
5. Increase the heat slightly and add the potatoes and 1/2 of the cabbage. Cook for 10 minutes, reducing the heat once it starts to boil to a very low boil.
Potatoes Cubed
Sliced Cabbage
6. Add more of the cabbage and cook until the potatoes are tender and the way you like them in soup, about 5-10 minutes longer.
7. Add the beans and the remainder of the cabbage, stir, simmer for a minute and then turn the heat off.
Beans Added
Add the Last of the Cabbage
8. Let the soup sit until you think it has cooled down enough to eat.
Ready to Serve