Sopa de Relva (Portuguese Sausage Kale and Potato Soup)

This is a soup my husband had in Portugal, back in the 80's, when he served a mission for our church. He teasingly called it Sopa de Relva, or Grass Soup, because of the kale in it! I made it for him a while ago and it was so delicious and simple! It's nice to bring back good memories!

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. olive oil, for sautéing

1 fully-cooked, Polska Kielbasa sausage - slice 3/4 of the sausage into thin rounds – dice the rest

1 cup finely chopped yellow onion (1 medium)

1 Tbsp. minced garlic

4 cups Swanson’s chicken broth, low salt

2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled, sliced and cut into 1-inch chunks

½ tsp kosher salt

1 small bunch of kale, washed, thick center ribs removed, and slivered

Instructions

Brown the sausage rounds for 1 minute or two in a heavy pot over medium heat. Transfer to a small plate and set aside. Add diced sausage to the pot and cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes, until they start to brown a bit. Transfer to small bowl and set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot, along with the chopped garlic and onions. Sauté over medium-low heat for 4-5 minutes until onions soften and start to get transparent. (Don't let them brown)

Add broth, potatoes and salt to the pot. Bring to a boil. Lower heat to a steady simmer and cook for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Using a potato masher, mash half the potatoes right in the pot, so you have a creamy broth with some chunks of potato remaining.

Add the cooked, chopped sausage and the kale. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the kale wilts and the soup is heated through. Serves 6