White Bean, Kale, and Chorizo Soup

All I can say is OMG! This soup was soooo freaking good. The flavor, the texture, the smell, all of them wonderful. Just look at all the goods stewing togehter below. The starch from the potatoes thickened the soup just enough to make a hearty bowl of soup for a VERY COLD night in Des Moines, Iowa.

A simple recipe will assure this soup will be a keeper in your recipe box ( I know it's a keeper in mine). I adapted the soup from a Sara Moutlon recipe. The changes I made to the recipe are indicated in red.
White Bean, Kale, and Chorizo Soup:

1/2 pound dried white beans, such as Great Northern, rinsed and picked over - I used two cans of Northern White Beans so I didn't have to soak dried beans
8 1/2 cups chicken stock, (preferably homemade) -I used 5 cups
1 bay leaf, preferably Turkish
Kosher salt
Pinch saffron threads - didn't use
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 Spanish chorizo sausages, about 3/4 pound, cut into 1/2-inch dice -- I used organic chicken chorizo to reduce the fat in the recipe--really good!
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large red bell pepper, finely diced

2 medium potatoes, cut potato chip style
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
1 small bunch kale, about 3/4 pound, tough stems removed, washed well, and coarsely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
Sherry vinegar, to taste -didn't use
Cumin
Cayenne Peper

-Place the beans in a large pot or soup kettle. Pour in 8 cups of the stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and add the bay leaf and a pinch of salt. Cook, partially covered, stirring often and adjusting the heat to keep it at a slow steady simmer, until the beans are tender, about 2 hours. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
-Soak the saffron in the remaining 1/2 cup chicken stock.
-Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring often, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer to a plate. Add the onion; reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the red pepper and the paprika,cumin, and cayenne pepper. Cook for 2 minutes longer, then transfer the contents of the skillet to the bean pot. Stir in the saffron with the soaking liquid, the chorizo, potatoes, and the kale. Bring back to a simmer and cook just until the kale is wilted, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, stir in the vinegar, and serve hot in warmed soup bowls.

Dinner was enjoyed with a tasy bottle of Warsteiner Dunkel.