Caldo Gallego Estilo Cubano - Galician Soup - Cuban Style

When I was a kid I dreaded the day my mom use to make this soup. Much to her dismay I simply refused to eat it and would make myself and a PB&J sandwich . I don't know why but I never liked it. It wasn't until I was an adult that I began to somewhat tolerate this soup and now in recent years - I wholeheartedly embrace it!  My recipe is based on the Cuban version of this very classic Spanish soup. It is the way I remember my mom making it with the exception of the use of pork salt, which I leave out. I just don't care for it. My recipe uses smoked ham shank instead of ham hocks because it's lot meatier and I think adds more flavor.  It also uses Spanish chorizo, and I will caution that using the Mexican variety is a no-no.  The flavor profiles of these two chorizos is a world apart, they can not be interchanged and to attain the same flavor at the end. I was very happy to be able to use fresh, organic collard greens from my own garden and my own homemade chicken and ham stock. Box stocks are just fine too.  I am providing a slow cooker** and a stove top method. This soup makes a big batch, is even better the next day and freezes well.

Serves 8-10

1 1/2 pounds of dried  great white northern beans
1 large bone-in smoked ham shank
4 Spanish  dry-cured chorizo, sliced into small coins
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups of collard greens, chopped
1 pound of potatoes, large dice
2 turnips, diced
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups of ham stock
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup water
Salt** and pepper

Slow cooker instructions:

• Soak beans overnight in water. Rinse and discard soaking water.
• Place all the ingredients (except salt and pepper) into a slow cooker.
• Cook on low for 8 hours. I do not recommend the high setting for this recipe.
• Taste and add salt and pepper if needed

Stove top instructions:

• Soak beans overnight in water. Rinse and discard soaking water.
• In a large heavy dutch oven pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and chorizo. Cook for 5 minutes, add the garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes.
• Add the tomato paste, stir to coat ingredients in the pan well.
• Add all the remaining ingredients (except potatoes, turnips and salt & pepper). Bring to rolling boil and boil for 3 minutes.
• Lower heat and cook at a low simmer for 45 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.You may need very little if any.
• Cook at a simmer for 1 1/2 hours and then add potatoes and turnips.  Cook an additional 20-30 minutes or until potatoes/turnips are tender.

Serve this over white rice or with a crusty toasted loaf of your favorite bread and a good bottle of Spanish red wine. Cheers!

**Recipe Notes: I have found that the slow cooker method works best when cooked on low for 8-10 hours.  I find that using it on high for 4-6 hours just doesn't deliver the right amount of flavor.

Be mindful of salt.  I prefer salting, if at all, at the end, and allow it to cook for 10 minutes so that the flavor is infused into the soup.  You have the smoked ham, ham stock and chorizo that will most likely add all the salt you will need. Most of the time I don't add any at all.

Slow Cooker Hearty Red Beans and Ham Soup

Right when the weather starts to really cool in South Florida, and by that I mean low 40s, I start thinking soup. One soup
that I tend to make mostly in January and February is this Hearty Red Bean and Ham Soup.  It's a two step process BUT you can work on step one a few days ahead of time or even weeks if you go the route of the freezer. I love how rich, thick and flavorful the bean broth gets and the beans get very creamy in texture.  The best part is you let the beans cook away in your slow cooker while you are at work and you get home to a yummy, warm meal.  All you need is a little toasted bread to sop up the broth as you chow down.

Serves 4

1 pound red beans*, soaked overnight
4 large onions; 2 quartered, 2 rough chopped
2 large green peppers; 1 quartered, 1 rough chopped
1 head of garlic, unpeeled, sliced in half
3 cups of water
2 tablespoons minced garlic
6 slices center cut or turkey bacon, chopped, cooked in the microwave till just crispy
1 pound lean ham or turkey ham, cubed
1 smoked  ham shank or smoked turkey "hocks"
4 cups of beef stock or ham stock
1 cup water
2 bay leaves
1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt

To par-cook the beans after soaking, add  beans, 2 quartered onion, 1 quartered bell pepper, 1 head of garlic, 3 cups of water to a deep pot. Bring to rolling boil, and allow to boil for 30 minutes, lid off. After 30 minutes, turn off heat and allow to sit for 1 1/2 hours lid on. This can portion can be done the day before or even over the weekend and stored in the fridge till you are ready to make them. You can even freeze them to leave for another day.

To make the beans, place the par-cooked beans and liquid in the slow cooker. scoop out the garlic and large pieces of onions or bell pepper.  Add all the remaining ingredients, EXCEPT the salt  (see my post "Salt Will Keep Your Beans from Softening" for more info on bean cookery). Salt only once the beans are completely softened. Set slow cooker on hi for 4-5 hours or low for 8-9 hours.  You can make this stove top and first bring to a boil, allow to boil for 5 minutes then cover and simmer 2-3 hours or until the beans have softened.

Serve into deep bowls by itself or over rice and lots of toasted bread to soak up the juices.

Recipe Notes:
*I use Central American red beans.  They are tiny but have an incredibly deep rich red color and the flavor is amazing.  They are creamier in texture once softened then regular red beans.  Check your local Hispanic market for Central American red beans or use regular red beans if you can't find them.
You'll notice that I say to use either ham or turkey products, the choice is up to you.  Either is delicious.  If you want to cut on some calories use the turkey products.

Weekly Recipe Round-Up January 6 - 10, 2014

Finally, life back to normal, or at least as close to normal as possible! I hope you had a great first full week of the new year.  We got back to our regular posting schedule, including Wednesdays with Eryka. For me it was easing back into a routine and even welcoming back some of our favorites shows that had been on hiatus during the holidays. And while I haven't gotten back to running, the weather was just horrible here in South Florida, nothing like that polar vortex the northern states got hit with, just a lot of rain and few days of "cold". It was just impossible to get out there and jog a few miles. But there is always next week or I  may head out tomorrow morning for a quick run, weather permitting.

This week's Recipe of the Week was Savory Meatballs in Mushroom Cream Sauce.  It had the most shares and likes by our awesome followers and for that we Thank You!  Here's a look back at what was cooking in the kitchens of The Fork Ran Away with the Spoon this past week.

Featured on Monday:

Savory Meatballs in Mushroom Cream Sauce

The sauce in this recipe is just as delicious with the meatballs as it is on its own ladled over pasta or egg noodles. Letting the onions and mushrooms cook together brings about a depth a flavor that only slow and low cooking can bring about.



Featured on Wednesdays with Eryka:

Super Cheesy Baked Penne

Ground beef, pork and Italian sausage are simmered in wine, stock and spices and one of the spices may surprise you..One pound of cheese make this pasta this pasta dish super cheesy and yummy!




Featured on Friday:

Bacon & Ham Braised Greens
Now I know what you are thinking, ugh... greens, right?  Nooooo, I promise, no ughs here!  We are using smokey bacon, ham, ham hocks and shanks, rich stock, and letting them all braise with your greens of choice for hours in a slow cooker. What you get is smokey-bacon-ham-y goodness that you can eat alone or over pasta, beans, legumes or my favorite with a loaf of toasted french bread and white wine.

Bacon & Ham Braised Greens

I became enamored of braised greens several years ago on a trip to Georgia, when I visited my niece, Aylin, and her husband, Danny.  Gracious hosts that they were, we were treated to a true southern meal at a local diner, Home Spun, and from that day on, I was hooked on greens! When I got back home, I started trying to reproduce the collard greens I had at that little diner and, it took some time to get it right and eventually I did!  Now I know what you are thinking, ugh... greens, right?  Nooooo, I promise, no ughs here!  We are using smokey bacon, ham, ham hocks and shanks, rich stock, and letting them all braise with your greens of choice for hours in a slow cooker. What you get is smokey-bacon-ham-y goodness that you can eat alone or over pasta, beans, legumes or my favorite with a loaf of toasted french bread and white wine. Yes, I admit it! I will eat a whole loaf of bread with these braised greens and (sheepishly) a whole bottle of white wine, it's that good! Okay, so have I convinced you to give greens a chance? I hope so!

Serves 4 (or 2 if it's a meal)

Half a package of smoked center cut bacon (or turkey bacon if you want to save on fat)
1 pound of greens (collards, turnips, mustard, kale or a combination of all)
2 ham hocks, scored
1 large smoked ham shank
8 oz slice of ham, cut into cubes
4 cups chicken or ham stock
4-5 shakes of liquid smoke
2-3 grates of nutmeg
Salt & pepper to taste (add at the end of cooking time)


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F  

Place bacon slices on a parchment lined baking sheet. Do not overlap. Bake 15-20 minutes for regular center cut bacon or 5-7 minutes for turkey bacon. Allow to cool and cut into large dice.
Place all ingredients into slow cooker, except salt & pepper (and yes, add in a few tablespoons of the bacon drippings). Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 8 hours.
Taste for seasoning. Salt & pepper to taste.

Serve as a side dish, or over pasta, rice, grains or cooked legumes such as; lentils or beans such as; great northern white or chick peas. The possibilities are endless. Or my favorite ... toasted french bread and white wine. Enjoy!