Caldo Gallego - White Bean Soup

Raúl: This is really a Spanish recipe, but some smart Cubans stole it
from the Spaniards years ago and made it a lot better.

Jorge: Our usual humility prevents us from naming any names. Let's
just say we know three guys in Miami who really love this soup.

Glenn: If you use a good Spanish chorizo, you'll give your soup a
hearty smoked flavor.

Jorge: This is a great soup, very filling! All you need is a loaf or
two of fresh Cuban bread and you are in heaven!

INGREDIENTS

2 1/2 cups dried white beans
3/4 cup Spanish chorizo, casings removed, and bias-sliced in 2-inch
chunks
2 cups cubed smoked ham
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups chopped white onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons white flour
6 cups ham broth
1 cup white wine
2 cups peeled and chopped Roma tomatoes
2 cups peeled and cubed yellow potatoes
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup chopped fresh spinach

Cover dry beans with water and let stand covered overnight. Discard
water.

In an 8-quart stockpot, sauté the chorizo and ham in the olive until
the chorizo has colored the oil. Add the onion and sauté until limp;
add minced garlic and sauté briefly. Gradually add white flour,
stirring constantly to prevent those oh so annoying lumps!

Add beans, ham broth, wine, tomatoes, potatoes, cumin, salt, and
pepper. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low for about 2 to 3
hours. The potatoes and ham should be very tender! (The longer you
simmer it, the better it tastes!)

Add the spinach just before the soup is done -- cook only for an
additional 5 minutes!

Adjust seasonings to taste and serve.

Serves 6


From the book:

THREE GUYS FROM MIAMI CELEBRATE CUBAN FOOD
by Glenn Lindgren, Raúl Musibay, and Jorge Castillo
(Gibbs Smith, Publisher; August 2006)