Portuguese Caldo Verde

Ingredients

  * 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  * 1 onion, minced
  * 1 clove garlic, minced
  * 6 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
  * 2 quarts cold water, if you have broth, better yet!
  * 6 ounces linguica sausage, thinly sliced (or you can use chicken sausage, really, any sausage will do!)
  * 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
  * ground black pepper to taste
  * 1 pound kale, rinsed and julienned

Directions

In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook onion and garlic in 3 tablespoons olive oil for 3 minutes. 

Stir in potatoes and cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes more. Pour in water, bring to a boil, and let boil gently for 20 minutes, until potatoes are mushy.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-low heat, cook sausage until it has released most of its fat, 10 minutes. Drain. BUT, if you're using a low fat sausage like chicken sausage, just add it to the soup. 

Mash potatoes or puree the potato mixture with a blender or food processor. Stir the sausage, salt and pepper into the soup and return to medium heat. 

Cover and simmer 5 minutes.

Just before serving, stir kale into soup and simmer, 5 minutes, until kale is tender and jade green. 

Stir in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and serve at once.