Galician Soup - Caldo Gallego
Galicians in the north of Spain have relied for centuries on this simple stew to fight off the winter chill. Simple, yet satisfying, chorizo adds the depth of flavor to this ever popular dish.
Prep Time: 30 min.
Cook Time: 1 hr. 40 min.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups (250 gr) dried white beans
1 ham knuckle
Salt, pepper, and sweet paprika powder
Generous 1 lb (500 g) potatoes, peeled and diced
Generous 1 lb (500 g) turnip tops, alternatively spring or savoy cabbage, rinsed and coarsely chopped
2 chorizos, cut into pieces
Preparation:
Soak the beans overnight in plenty of cold water.
Next day, bring the beans and the ham knuckle to a boil in 8 1/2 cups/2 liters of water.
Season with the salt, pepper and paprika, and simmer for about 1 hour.
Remove the ham bone and add the potatoes, vegetables, and chorizo.
Continue cooking for another 30 minutes.
Serve the soup in earthenware bowls.
That sounds good; but Chorizo confuses me. We have an ethnic market nearby, and they sell lots of different Chorizos from various South American countries - there are so many variations. How do I find Spanish Chorizo - or is there really much difference?
Also: is ‘Ham Knucle’ the same as ‘Ham Hock’?
-JT