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Vovo’s Caldo Verde

This soup recipe is from my Portuguese grandmother(s). I was lucky enough to have two! This is comfort food at it’s finest, and tastes better the next day, so feel free to make ahead and warm up. Awesome in the wintertime. Works wonderfully as a first course to a larger meal, or as a meal itself with paposeco’s ( or any really good crusty bread)

What You Need:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
(not light—the darker green, the better!)
10 ounces chouriço, linguiça, (or Spanish chorizo if you can’t find Portuguese products) sliced into 1/4-inch coins

1 large Spanish onion, diced
 or two regular cooking onions
Kosher or Sea salt

2 garlic cloves, sliced; don’t be afraid to go for a third or fourth (we love our garlic in Portugal)
6-7 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

8 cups cold water, or half chicken stock and half water

1 pound kale or collard greens, thick middle stem removed, and leaves cut into very, very fine julienne (think wisker-thin)

Freshly ground black pepper to taste, although if you have it, white pepper works even better.

What To Do:

1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chouriço slices and cook until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon remove the sausage to a plate. Try to let the sausage drain well into the pot; it will flavor the soup.
2. Dump the onions and garlic into the pot. Sauté, adding enough salt to bring out their sweetness, until they’re translucent and very soft.
3. Add the potatoes, cover everything with the water, or the chicken stock-water combo, and bring the soup to a boil. Lower the heat so the soup gently simmers. Cook until the potatoes are almost done, 15 to 20 minutes.
4. When the caldo verde is cool enough to handle, purée it using a wand blender.
Tradition states that one slice and only one slice of chouriço is added to each bowl, but we always add a few! The more the merrier!
5. Add the finely shredded/sliced greens to the soup, bring everything back to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 2 minutes. Season with more salt, if needed, and pepper.
6. Ladle the caldo verde into bowls and garnish with the remaining slices of chouriço if serving right away. Again, this freezes and refrigerates really well, and the flavours are best that way ☺