Portuguese Bean Soup

Ingredients

Yield:

Serves 20

• Portuguese Bean Soup

  • 2 lbs smoked ham shank
  • 1 lb Portuguese sausage diced 1/2 inch
  • 1 1/2 gallon water
  • 1/8 cup garlic chopped
  • 1/2 cup tomato paste
  • 1 1/2 cups diced tomato with juice canned
  • 1 1/2 bay leaf
  • 1/2 lb celery diced 1/2 inch
  • 1 lb onions diced 1/2 inch
  • 1 1/2 lbs carrots diced 1 inch
  • 1 1/2 lbs potato diced 1 inch
  • 1 lb white beans soaked in water over night
  • 1/4 lb elbow macaroni uncooked
  • 2 cups cooked kidney beans drained
  • 1 1/2 lbs water cress cut in 3 inch length
  • 1 tbs Portuguese Spice
  • Salt, pepper and tobasco to taste

Preparation

Difficulty:

Difficult

Time:

3 Hours

Total Time:

1. 1. Place smoked ham shank, water, chopped garlic, tomato paste, diced tomato and bay leaves in a 2.5 gallon stock pot - bring to a boil
   2. Reduce heat and simmer slowly until the ham shanks are tender for about 1 1/2 hours
   3. Remove ham shanks from the pot to cool and add in the diced celery, onions, Portuguese spice and white beans
   4. Cook until the beans are half cooked and then add the carrots, potato, macaroni and Portuguese sausage and continue to simmer until all ingredients are cooked through
   5. Remove the meat from the cook ham shank and dice into 1/2 inch pieces
   6. Add meat back to the soup
   7. Stir in the cut water cress until it wilts
   8. Season with salt, pepper and tobasco