Sopa da Pedra
A hearty bean-and-meat stew from Almeirim built around a well-known local folk tale: a poor traveling friar, too proud to beg, asks to borrow a pot to make 'stone soup' from a smooth stone he carries, and as curious villagers ask what it needs, he names one ingredient after another — potatoes, beans, meat — until a full, generous soup results from their contributions. Some modern versions still place a clean stone in the pot as a nod to the story, though the real substance comes from beans, pork, and chouriço.
Meat
Ingredients
- 300g dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight
- 200g pork ear or trotter
- 150g chouriço
- 100g morcela (blood sausage)
- 150g pork belly
- 2 potatoes, cubed
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- Olive oil, salt, pepper
- Fresh coriander or parsley, to finish
Steps
- Soak the beans overnight, then drain.
- In a large pot, combine the beans, pork ear or trotter, pork belly, onion, garlic, and bay leaf; cover with water and simmer 1–1.5 hours until the beans are tender.
- Add the chouriço and morcela and simmer another 20–30 minutes.
- Add the cubed potatoes and cook until tender, about 15–20 minutes more.
- Remove the sausages, slice, and return to the pot. Season with salt and pepper.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh coriander.