Caldo Verde (Collard Green Soup) (NPR)
A traditional winter soup, this comfort dish is found throughout Portugal. This is adapted from a recipe by executive chef Carlos Arriaga from Alfama Restaurant in New York.
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7 tablespoons olive oil Makes 6 to 8 servings
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 pound Idaho potatoes, peeled and diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
10 ounces whole chourico*, Portuguese smoked sausage (may substitute pepperoni or Spanish chorizo)
4 cups water
1 pound collard greens or kale, thick center stems and fibrous veins removed
Kosher salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste
Heat 5 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat until it simmers. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden, about 10 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring often, until they start to spot with color, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more before adding the whole 10 ounces of chourico, unsliced.
Pour in the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the potatoes are cooked tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the chourico, let it cool down and slice it into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Stack several collard green leaves, roll them lengthwise into a tight cigar shape, and cut crosswise into whisker-thin slices. Repeat with the rest of the greens.
Puree the soup with a hand-held blender or liquefy in batches in a food processor. Return it to the pot, and bring it back to a boil. Turn the heat to low, stir in the greens and simmer, uncovered, until just tender, 5 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Ladle the soup into warm bowls, crown each with 3 slices of chourico, and drizzle with remaining olive oil.
Hope this inspires someone to cook something different and tasty!
Tchau,
Sara
Tchau,
Sara
