A year ago at this time, my husband and I were walking El Camino de Santiago. (It is hard to believe that a year has passed already.) For months after we returned, I walked the Camino every night in my dreams. I was so sad when those dreams ended. I wanted to keep alive the lessons I learned, the beauty I saw, and all my experiences, but life isn’t like that. Day turned into night and turned again into day and the past was past.
My feet no longer were kept on that ancient trail by my dreams, so I travel back there through my pictures, my memories and through my food. When I make Caldo Gallego I remember the first time I ever tasted it. We were served this soup in Fonfría del Camino at the end of the day after we left Villa Franca, climbed O’Cebreiro and continued walking for 24 km. We were more than tired; we were done.
We stayed in the Albergue A Reboleira where we were served dinner in a communal dining area with our fellow peregrinos (pilgrims). This festive place soon made us forget our aches and pains and all the suffering we had experienced just a short time before.
I never will forget the wonderful aroma or hearty, healthy taste of this simple soup; it has become a favorite in my house. Whenever I make it, I once again walk the Camino, see the weary yet happy faces, and hear the stories that are shared over and over between a long list of pilgrims who meet again and again on this ancient trail.
I hope this soup will warm your heart as it has mine and will fill your stomach with its wholesome goodness.
Ingredients (Serves 6) 1 1/2 cups dried white beans 1 ham knuckle, or 1 ham bone, or 1 ham hock, or 1lb. pork bones 1 tbsp salt 1 1/2 tsp paprika (preferably Spanish) 1/4 tsp pepper 1 lb potatoes, peeled and diced 1 bunch turnip greens, rinsed and coarsely chopped 2 spanish chorizos (6.5 oz total), cut into pieces
Instructions
Soak the beans overnight in cold water. Rinse beans then add them back to the pot with the pork.
Cover with 8 1/2 cups of water and season them with the salt, pepper and paprika. Bring to a boil, then turn down heat and simmer 1 hour covered. (Skim off foam)
Remove the pork bones from the broth and add the potatoes, turnips, and chorizo.
If you like, pull the meat off the bones and add back to the pot. Return the pot to a simmer and cook for 30 more minutes.
Take advantage!