Once again, planning a trip influenced my dinner menu. I spent the day reading about places I plan to visit in Spain this October--flavors and aromas seemed to waft from the pages of my travel book! Unfortunately, my repertoire of Spanish recipes is limited. So, I stuck with what I knew: Caldo Gallego, a restorative soup of Galicia. Here's how I made it:
1/2 lb. pancetta, diced 1 can white beans, drained
1 onion, diced 1 baking potato, diced
1/2 lb. chorizo, diced 1 bunch Kale, stems removed & chopped
Chicken stock Water
In a large pot, cook the pancetta until the fat is rendered. Add the chorizo. (NOTE: Most recipes call for hard sausage, but I only had the soft version available. I removed the casings and crumbled the sausage on top of the pancetta.) When the sausage has almost cooked thoroughly, add the onion. Next, add the potatoes and beans. Let it cook for a few minutes to marry the flavors. Add the kale and 2 cups of chicken stock. Be sure to scrape up all the goodies from the bottom of the pan. Add enough water to cover the ingredients. Cover and simmer for up to 2 hours or until the vegetables are soft, adding more chicken stock or water as needed.
True Spanish Caldo Gallego calls for Unto (cured pork belly) in lieu of pancetta. However, it doesn't seem to exist anywhere except in Galicia. Additionally, most Spaniards use turnip greens in this soup, but I find kale works just as well.
Caldo Gallego is a hearty soup, probably better served in winter. To lighten it up, I took to another Spanish tradition: grilling. Tossing a few vegetables and shrimp with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder, and placing them on a hot grill for about 2 minutes on each side made for a fantastic compliment!
