Portuguese Linguiça and Cabbage Soup

Place a heavy Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat and add a light drizzle of olive oil. Drop in the 1 pound of sliced linguiça sausage. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until the rounds develop a crisp, golden-brown crust and render their rich, paprika-tinted oil. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked sausage to a plate, leaving the rendered fat in the pot.

In the same pot with the hot sausage oils, add the diced yellow onion and minced garlic. Reduce the heat to medium-low and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring continuously, until the onions turn translucent and scrape up the savory fond stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Add the chopped green cabbage, 2 cups of broth, 2 cups of water, and the entire can of diced tomatoes (with juices) into the pot. Stir in the 1 teaspoon of smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon of dried oregano, and a pinch of salt and pepper (plus optional potatoes, carrots, or white beans). Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat, then lower the heat to low, cover with a tight lid, and simmer gently for 20 to 25 minutes until the cabbage is soft and translucent.

Remove the lid and slide the reserved cooked linguiça slices back into the bubbling soup. Let everything simmer uncovered for an additional 10 minutes to allow the flavors to marry completely and warm the sausage through. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with extra salt or pepper as needed.