![]() My Vavó always referred to this soup as Molho de Feijão although many refer to it as Sopa de Feijão. I was truly blessed to have the special connection I had with my Vavó and this is one of those recipes that brings her right back to me. My Vavó passed away in 2007, she was 93 years old and sharp as a whip and not a day goes by that I don’t miss her and think about all the wonderful time we had together shopping and cooking, eating and talking, and just spending quality time with one another. The soup would always get eaten up first and then all week long, the baked beans were there to enjoy… I’ve never been able to decide which one I prefer more, but I can tell you I love them both. ![]() This amazingly creamy and hearty soup was one of my Vavó Olinda’s specialties! She would always make a batch of this at the same time as she made a batch of Feijão Assado (Portuguese Baked Beans). This of course started my journey in figuring out just how they do it. People order it to go by the bucket full! It’s gotten to the point that people around here don’t even refer to it as Minestrone anymore, but rather, Venus Di Milo Soup. They have a very good reputation for having the best Minestrone Soup anywhere. And it is where countless wedding, 1st communion and birthday celebrations have been held over time. ![]() It’s where my Dad had one of his very first jobs as a bus boy. Venus Di Milo is the restaurant my parents held their wedding reception. ![]() There is a local restaurant I have grown up with that leads more than a few cooks in my area to strive to perfect Minestrone soup… I have to say, this does it for me… and there is one secret ingredient I don’t think it could do without! There is nothing like a steaming hot bowl of soup and a fresh piece of crusty bread to really take you through each quarter of a football game! Take a look at how I do it…Ī good Minestrone Soup can compete with ANY full dinner! With all the elements of your basic nutritional chart, this soup has it all and the flavor to back up that first sentence to boot. Naturally this soup has really become a football food in my family seeing as how we make it on a Sunday and football is on on Sundays. Most of the ingredients are kept in my freezer and pantry at all times so a pot of this is usually ready to go whenever I get the inclination. What I will take you through today is my family’s version of this Portuguese staple… and if I do say so myself, it is a really good version! Thick and hearty, this soup starts with a bean broth base with no whole beans in it at all. If I ever run out of the home-grown authentic Couves, I in fact use Collard Greens and it turns out just fine. Michael many many years ago and my family has been growing the vegetable in our back yard gardens ever since. My grandfather brought Couve seeds over from St. In fact, making kale soup with the American curly kale would not be traditional at all. It has a broad flat, deep green leaf more closely resembling a Collard Green. So, Kale Soup is actually made from the Portuguese “Couves” which is a cousin to kale. Today, each family has their special family recipe and that is likely a very loved recipe upon which all other versions of the soup are compared against. If a family was lucky, a piece of meat was added in along with a piece of chouriço! Whether to add carrots (which my family does not) or cabbage (which my family does) was often a matter of what was grown in their back yard garden or simply what was on hand. The basics are the couves of course, then inexpensive vegetables like potatoes, cabbage and beans. Often times this soup was made up of whatever a family had on hand resulting in a different recipe among each family. Hense, a different recipe developed within each village. ![]() Until recently, communication was not something that was abundant among the tiny villages throughout these islands let alone among the islands themselves. The Azores are made up of 9 islands off the coast of Portugal. Often a big pot of this is prepared on a Sunday, served for “dinner” at 1 o’clock and then left overs are served all week long… at least that’s how it was in my house. Two things that are not well-known by many of my American friends is that no two families prepare this soup the same way and there is actually no kale in this soup! Served with a fresh piece of Portuguese bread (pop-seco), this soup is served as a main course in the Portuguese-American home. It is as hearty as they come almost a cross between a soup and a stew. More affectionately referred to as just “Sopas” or “Sopinhas” (soup-ee-n-yas), this beloved peasant style soup is not a thing to be trifled with. Probably one of the most recognizable staples in any Portuguese-American home is Sopa de Couves. ![]()
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