Caldo Verde – Portuguese Green Soup

With Winter on the way GTAstes thoughts have turned to warming soups. Serve this spicy Portuguese cabbage or kale soup with a tasty Serra (Sheep) cheese for a warming lunch or starter to dinner.

Ingredients

  • 2 fat onion chopped fine
  • 1 Chorizo sausage
  • 4 cloves garlic crushed
  • 6 large potatoes
  • 60ml/2¼fl oz olive oil
  • 1.5 litres/2 pints 13fl oz good vegetable or chicken stock
  • salt and freshly ground balck pepper to taste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • large bunch of cabbage or kale
  • smoked paprika and olive oil for dressing

Preparation

  • Gently fry the onions and garlic in the olive oil until softened and translucent.
  • Chop the chorizo into small chunks and add to the pan with the onion.
  • Fry the onions and sausage for a few more minutes and then add the diced potatoes. They will absorb all the flavour from the sausage.
  • Transfer the mixture to a large pan, add the stock, seasoning and bay leaves, and cook until the potatoes are soft.
  • Meanwhile, very finely chop the cabbage or kale
  • When the potatoes are ready, mash them into the broth to make a thick base. Blanch the greens in boiling water for one minute to take off any bitterness, drain, then add to the simmering broth.
  • Add as much cabbage as you wish add loads of greens for a heavy soup and less for lighter.
  • Simmer for a few minutes. The soup will go the colour of jade.
  • Mix the smoked paprika with some olive oil to make a dressing, and swirl this red magic into the vibrant green soup.
  • Serve with some rustic country bread and Portuguese cheese.
  • Don’t forget a glass of Portuguese wine!

 

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