Kale Soup (Caldo Verde)

Here's the recipe for Kale Soup (Caldo Verde) and the video demonstration to go along with it. This really the most traditional Portuguese soup, and is usually served at similarly traditional events like weddings or cultural events. Like most Portuguese soup, a potato puree is used to give a creamy consistency, no milk or cream is added, and the finely sliced kale gives the soup its distinctive green (verde) colour. Hopefully with this recipe and the video, it'll feel like I'm in your kitchen helping you along with some homecooking, Portuguese style!

Ingredients

8 cups of water

6 medium sized potatoes, peeled & cut into small pieces

1 medium onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 chouriço (Portuguese sausage)

8-10 leaves kale or collards, finely sliced

1 tbsp. virgin olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste

1. In a large pot, bring the water to a boil and add the potatoes, chopped onion, garlic and sausage. Let boil until the potatoes are cooked through (approximately 15 minutes)
2. Remove the sausage from the pot and cut into slices. Set aside.
3. Remove the pot from heat, and using an electric hand blender (a potato masher or countertop blender works too) puree the potatoes until you have a smooth, consistent soup
4. Put the pot back on the heat, and bring back to a boil
5. Add the sliced kale to the pureed potatoes and boil, uncovered for another 5 minutes or until the kale is cooked.
6. Add the olive oil and sliced the chouriço before serving