Sausage, Kale, and White Bean Soup

Recipe View **Soak the Beans (8 hours or Overnight):** Place the dry navy beans in a large bowl and cover with plenty of cool water. Allow them to soak at room temperature for at least 8 hours, or preferably overnight. This softens the beans and reduces cooking time.

Recipe View **Pressure Cook the Beans (Approximately 25 minutes):** Drain and rinse the soaked beans. Transfer them to a pressure cooker and add 4 cups of fresh water. Seal the pressure cooker and cook until the beans are tender. Use the natural release method to release the pressure. Do not drain the beans after cooking; the cooking liquid adds flavor and body to the soup.

Recipe View **Blanch the Kale (Approximately 2 minutes):** Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the chopped kale and cook until it turns bright green and is slightly tender. Immediately drain the kale in a strainer and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

Recipe View **Sauté the Sausage (Approximately 5 minutes):** Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sliced linguica sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and slightly crisp. Remove the sausage from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Recipe View **Sauté the Shallots (Approximately 3 minutes):** Add the chopped shallots to the pot and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent. Pour in a splash of chicken broth to deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. These browned bits add depth of flavor to the soup.

Recipe View **Combine and Simmer (Approximately 15 minutes + 4 minutes):** Return the cooked sausage to the pot. Add the cooked beans along with their cooking liquid, and the remaining chicken broth. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Stir in the blanched kale and cook for an additional 4 minutes, until heated through. Season with hot sauce, salt, and pepper to taste.