Sopa de Pedra

A thick, velvety broth where red beans meet meltingly tender pork. The chorizo releases its red oil onto the surface, filling the air with a powerful smoky aroma.

• Prep time: 30 min
• Cook time: 90 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 874
• Protein: 61 g
• Carbs: 59 g
• Fat: 42 g

Ingredients

• 400 g Red bean ( cooked and drained )
• 1 piece Semi-salted pig's ear ( cleaned )
• 1 piece Semi-salted pig's foot ( halved )
• 200 g Semi-salted pork belly ( in large chunks )
• 1 piece Chorizo ( whole )
• 400 g Potato ( in 2cm cubes )
• 2 piece Carrot ( in thick rounds )
• 1 piece Onion ( peeled )
• 2 piece Garlic ( crushed )
• 2 piece Bay leaf
• 200 g Green cabbage ( coarsely shredded )
• 2 L Mineral water
• 1 piece Morcela (Portuguese blood sausage) ( whole )

Instructions

1. Blanching the meats

   Plunge the pork ear and foot into a pot of boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to remove impurities and ensure a clean broth.

2. Slow cooking the broth

   In a large pot, place the ear, foot, pork belly, whole onion, and garlic. Cover with mineral water. Simmer until the meat falls off the bone.

3. Vegetables, chorizo, and morcela

   Add the carrots, whole chorizo, and whole morcela. When the chorizo and morcela are firm and swollen, remove them to slice into rounds. Toss the diced potatoes into the fatty broth.

4. Binding and finishing

   Stir in the beans and shredded cabbage. Mash a few potato cubes against the side with the back of the ladle to thicken the sauce. The broth should coat the spoon.

Chef's tips

• Don't forget to put a clean stone at the bottom of the pot to respect the tradition.
• If the broth is too thin, mash a ladleful of beans and potatoes to thicken it.
• Make it the day before; it's even better when the flavors have infused overnight.

Storage

Keep for 3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Add a splash of water when reheating as it thickens significantly.