Donna's Portuguese Soup

2 sticks chourico (Gaspar's, if possible) (1 lb.)
1/2 pkg. green split peas (1 cup)
1 can chicken broth (10 oz.)
3 cans dark red kidney beans-drained (15-16 oz. each)
1 can black beans-drained (15-16 oz. size)
1 can black eye peas, drained (15-16 oz.)
2 pkgs. frozen chopped spinach (10 oz. each)
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
5 med. potatoes chopped (unpeeled)
2 tblspns. canola oil
2 tblspns. crushed red pepper sauce
salt & black pepper

Rinse and soak peas overnight or bring to a boil and then simmer on low heat in water while preparing other ingredients.

In large pot, heat canola oil and cook onions in the oil until tender. While cooking onions, peel skin from chourico and break up into the pot along with the onions. Stir while cooking.

Add broth and then fill empty broth can with water and add water to pot. Stir.

Add potatoes, spinach, garlic, peas, crushed red pepper sauce, salt, and black pepper. Once potatoes are tender, add drained beans and heat thoroughly. Serve with Portuguese bread and butter.

Stuffed Quahogs

It helps to have some quahog shells on hand for those times when you can't get fresh quahogs and need to resort to using canned clams. I know, I know... but sometimes we must resort to extreme measures...

1 loaf white bread - slightly stale and broken up into a large pot (pot full of bread may be put into oven on low heat if it isn't already stale)
1 or 2 onions, diced and 2 cloves of garlic crushed
1 stick (1/2 cup) of salted butter
1 stick (1/2 pound) of Gaspar's Chourico, (hot regular) peeled and chopped or broken up into small pieces
2 heaping tablespoons hot crushed peppers (Gonsalves, Antonio's, or Famoso will do).
Dash tabasco
1 teaspoon paprika
1/4 to 1/3 cup parsley flakes (or fresh chopped)
6-12 large, fresh quahogs (I boil them lightly, just until they open, then chop the meat. Some people claim that putting them in the freezer for an hour or so will relax the muscle enough to open the shells. Some people say that putting them in the microwave for a short time works. But I've tried both of those methods and have ended up boiling them in the end because it works and they're gonna be cooked anyways).
Salt & pepper to taste
1 can chicken broth

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In heavy skillet, cook onion and garlic in 1 stick of butter until onion is tender and semi-transparent. Pour over bread crumbs. Cook chourico in same pan and then add hot crushed pepper, tabasco, paprika, parsley, clams, salt, & pepper and stir. Then pour over bread crumb mixture. Add chicken broth and let sit, covered for about 5 minutes. Stir well or use potato masher until of desired consistency. Additional liquid may be added, if desired. Add liquid gradually until moist, but not too moist.

Put into shells and back in preheated 375 degree F oven for 20 min or until light golden brown.