Drumming and jamming, with some soup

Some drummers jamming in Gracia last summer.

OK, about yesterday’s soup… I confess, I wouldn’t eat it either, but the photo is good. Now, here is what in my opinion is the best soup ever: the portuguese stone soup.

Take…

• 8 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt broth
• 1 pound linguiça or kielbasa sausage or Spanish chorizo,* diced
• 1 15 1/4-ounce can kidney beans, drained
• 1 pound russet potatoes, peeled, diced
• 1 14 1/2-ounce can diced ready-cut tomatoes
• 1/2 medium head savoy cabbage, coarsely chopped (about 4 1/2 cups)
• 1 pound turnips, peeled, diced
• 2 leeks (white and light green parts only), chopped
• 2 large carrots, diced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 bay leaf

Combine all ingredients in large pot. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer until soup is thick, stirring occasionally, about 2 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before serving.)

Stone soup… And here is the legend behind it.

Two traveling men, were carrying nothing more than an empty cooking pot. They walked to a village. Upon their arrival, the villagers are unwilling to share any of their food stores with the hungry travelers. Then the travelers go to a stream and fill the pot with water, drop a large stone in it, and place it over a fire. One of the villagers becomes curious and asks what they are doing. The travelers answer that they are making “stone soup”, which tastes wonderful, although it still needs a little bit of garnish to improve the flavor, which they are missing. The villager does not mind parting with a few carrots to help them out, so that gets added to the soup. Another villager walks by, inquiring about the pot, and the travelers again mention their stone soup which has not reached its full potential yet. The villager hands them a little bit of seasoning to help them out. More and more villagers walk by, each adding another ingredient. Finally, a delicious and nourishing pot of soup is enjoyed by all.

 

Photo taken from the Portuguese Wikipedia