Portuguese Kale Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 (48 oz.) can chicken stock
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (14 oz.) can red kidney beans
1 lb. linguica or turkey or regular kielbasa, skinned and sliced
4 medium potatoes, peeled or scrubbed and diced
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
4 to 6 cloves garlic, minced
3 carrots, sliced
1 lb. kale, stripped from stem, chopped and washed carefully
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. thyme
salt if necessary
fresh ground black pepper to taste
cayenne pepper to taste (optional)

Preparation

Heat a large saucepan (4-quart minimum).
Add sausage; brown over high heat.
Pour off any fat rendered.
Add olive oil, garlic and potatoes; stir to coat for 1 minute.
Add tomatoes, carrots, chicken stock, bay leaves and thyme.
Simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are tender.
Remove the bay leaves.
Add the kale, pushing it down into the soup.
Cover; simmer until the kale is just cooked.
Adjust seasonings.
Serves 8.