Caldo Gallego Estilo Cubano - Galician Soup Cuban Style - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup dry white bean (Cannelli beans or Great Northern beans, pre-soaked overnight in just enough water to cover, to tende)
2 2 quarts chicken broth or 2 quarts water
2 chorizo sausages, casing removed & sliced on an angle (sausage available at Latin grocery stores)
1/2 lb extra lean cured ham, chopped (thick-cut 1/2-inch from deli counter)
3 pieces pork fat (optional) or 3 slices thick slab bacon
ham hock (optional)
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 tablespoon tomato sauce
1 tablespoon pure Spanish olive oil
1/4 cup chopped turnip
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1/2-inch cubes
1 cup chopped collard greens (stems removed and cleaned well)
salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
sazon con azafran seasoning, to taste
sazon completo seasoning, to taste

Preparation

Place all ingredients; the beans with their soaking liquid, the chorizo, ham, pork fat or bacon, ham hock (if using), onion, garlic, green peppers, tomato sauce, olive oil, in a 6-quart pot, cover with broth and water.
Cover the pot and simmer slowly for 30 minutes. Add seasonings and simmer for about 1-1/2-2 more hours, until the beans are almost tender.
Skim the froth and scum that comes to the top.
Season to taste.
Add the potatoes, turnips and collard greens, and simmer 15 minutes longer, until all vegetables are soft.
Season with salt, pepper, and Sazon Completo & Sazon con Azafran to taste.
Serve in deep soup bowls with a side of white fluffy rice (a necessity for Cubans), with sliced avocados, and tomatoes, with a vinaigrette dressing, a warm loaf of Cuban (pan de flauta) bread or French baguette or even with a Focaccia.
Buen provecho!