Steph's Favorite

Hello my foodie friends :) 

I have so many favorite Azorean dishes, but if I had to pick one. It would be my family staple Sopa de Feijão com Couves. Translated it's Bean Soup with Greens. Soup was always an option. Traditionally that's how Azoreans ate most of their vegetables. At moms If there isn't soup on the stove, it's in the fridge. At my house I try to make soup at least twice a week. You feel better after having a bowl, even if you were feeling fine :P  It's comfort food at it's best. Here is the recipe. 



Sopa de Feijão com Couves

1 bunch 1½ lb fresh collard greens (washed, trimmed of center rib and torn into 1-2 inch pieces)
1 small onion finely chopped
3 potatoes (peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes)
¼ cup of pasta such as elbow macaroni
1 half link of Portuguese chourico and piece of pork fat for flavor
8 cups of water
¼ cup of olive oil
3 gloves of garlic, (peeled and crushed)
2 cans Red or White Kidney beans (IMPORTANT STEP - mash 1 can of beans for thicker broth. I use immersion blender)
Season with salt and pepper to taste


Place large pot over medium heat. Add whole or sliced Chourico, pork, onion with olive oil and sauté for 10 minutes. Add garlic last, you don’t want it to burn. Meat doesn’t need to cook, just release flavors. Then add just enough water to cover Chourico and bring to a simmer for 20 minutes to bring out flavors into the water to make a flavorful broth.
Prepare the greens by washing them thoroughly and tearing the leafy portions from the steams. Tear into bite size pieces into a colander to rinse. Discard stems.
Add the rest of the 8 cups of water to pot.
Add the collard greens. Cook on Medium heat for 30 minutes.
Now add diced potatoes. Continue to cook on same heat for another 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes test the collards. They shouldn't have a bite to them. They should be soft.
Add beans (half smashed) and pasta.  Mix thoroughly. Let simmer for 10 minutes or until pasta is cooked making sure they don’t over cook as they will soften in the hot soup.
Serve with pop seco (Portuguese rolls)


In my home we omit the meat and pasta. Still tastey! Try and it out and let me know what you think