Name: Slow-Cooker Portuguese Potato and Kale Soup
Total time: 5 h
Ingredients: 1 onion, chopped fine; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for serving; 1 tablespoon chili powder; 1½ teaspoons minced fresh oregano or ½ teaspoon dried; 1/2 teaspoon minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce; 6 cups chicken broth; 1 pound red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into ½-inch pieces; 8 ounces chorizo sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced ½ inch thick; 8 ounces kale, stemmed and sliced ¼ inch thick; Salt and pepper

Why This Recipe Works

Most recipes for this classic Portuguese soup use spicy chorizo sausage. While this sausage imparted smoky, meaty flavor, its flavors became dull while in the slow cooker. Looking for ways to compensate for the loss of flavor, we added chili powder, oregano, and minced chipotle chile. And microwaving them with the aromatics bloomed their flavors further. Stirring in kale toward the end prevented the hearty greens from tasting washed out but ensured they would be perfectly tender.

Before You Begin

Serve with crusty bread or garlic toast to dip into the broth.

Instructions

1. Microwave onion, garlic, oil, chili powder, oregano, and chipotle in bowl, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes; transfer to slow cooker. Stir in broth, potatoes, and chorizo, cover, and cook until potatoes are tender, 4 to 6 hours on low or 3 to 5 hours on high.

Stir kale into soup, cover, and cook on high until tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing extra oil separately.