Portuguese Stone Soup Food

SOPA DA PEDRA - PORTUGUESE STONE SOUP

Steps:

• Place the beans in a bowl, cover them with water. Let them soak for at least two hours, but preferably overnight.
• Place a tall saucepan over medium to high heat. Once hot, add the olive oil, the cured sausages and bacon. Fry the meat on both sides until golden brown.
• Reduce the heat to medium low, add the onions, garlic and bay leaves to the cured meat fry. Gently cook it before adding the beans that should be rinsed and drained. Cover it with water.
• Bring it to a boil then reduce the heat to medium, let it simmer for around one hour and a half or until the beans cook through. The time that takes to cook the beans can vary according with how long you soak it for, and the quality of your beans.
• Remove the cured meat from the saucepan, cut it into thin slices.
• Peel and dice the potatoes before adding them to the beans. Add a little bit more water if necessary and let it simmer for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
• Combine the cured meat with the beans and potato soup base. Season it with salt, pepper and roughly chopped fresh cilantro. Serve it with a side of fresh crusty bread.

PORTUGUESE STONE SOUP

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in large pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until soup is thick, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before serving.)