Spicy chorizo soup

Ingredients

Quantity	Ingredient
220g	dried white beans, rinsed, drained and picked over
2 litres	chicken stock
1	bay leaf
pinch	saffron threads
2 tablespoons	extra-virgin olive oil
3	spanish chorizo sausages, sliced
1	large onion, finely chopped
4	garlic cloves, finely chopped
1	large red capsicum, finely diced
1 tablespoon	sweet smoked paprika
1 small bunch	kale, tough stems removed, washed well and coarsely chopped
	salt
	freshly ground black pepper
	sherry vinegar, to taste

Bring the beans and stock to the boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and add the bay leaf. Partially cover the pan with a lid and cook for about 2 hours, stirring often and adjusting the heat to keep it at a slow, steady simmer, until the beans are tender. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
In a small bowl, soak the saffron in 125 ml of the hot stock.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium–high heat. Stir in the chorizo and cook for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chorizo to a plate and set aside. Add the onion, reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring often for about 5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for a further 1 minute. Stir in the capsicum and the paprika. Cook for a further 10 minutes, then transfer to the pan of beans. Stir in the saffron with its soaking liquid, the chorizo and the kale. Bring back to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, until the kale is wilted and tender. Season with salt and pepper, stir in the vinegar and serve hot in warmed soup bowls.