Acorda Alentejana Portuguese Bread Soup Food

ACORDA ALENTEJANA (PORTUGUESE BREAD SOUP)

Steps:

• If the bread isn't already stale, spread the chunks on a baking sheet and dry out in a 250 degree F oven for about an hour.
• Process the garlic, cilantro and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a paste in a food processor (or use a mortar and pestle if you feel like a workout). Spoon into the bottom of a large, heatproof serving bowl or soup tureen.
• Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Poach the eggs in it, one at a time, removing to a plate when the whites have set but the yolks are still runny.
• Pour the still-boiling water (don't worry about any egg bits in it) over the garlic-cilantro paste in the bowl, stir to combine, and add the oil and more salt to taste.
• Add the bread and let soak for 5 minutes. Taste and add more salt if necessary, or more water if it seems too thick; there should be broth to slurp.
• Top the soup with the poached eggs and serve immediately.

ACORDA A ALENTEJANA (BREAD-THICKENED GARLIC-CORIANDER SOUP)

Steps:

• With a large mortar and pestle, pound the coriander, garlic and salt to paste. Spread over the bottom of a shallow 3-quart terra cotta casserole and drizzle with olive oil.
• Pour in the boiling water, add the bread and pepper, toss well and let stand 2 minutes. Taste for salt and add more if needed.
• Slide the poached eggs on top and serve, making sure each person gets an egg.

ASORDO - PORTUGUESE BREAD SOUP

Steps:

• Soak bread in water until soft. Squeeze out the water and set the bread aside.
• In a soup pot, toast the garlic in the olive oil, just until it begins to barely brown.
• Add the chicken stock to the pot and bring to a simmer.
• Add the bread to the pot and simmer, making a thick soup.
• Add the shrimp, salt, and Piri Piri.
• Cook for a moment.
• Place the soup in a tureen and garnish with the parsley.
• Break the eggs on top of the soup.
• Bring to the table and stir the eggs into the soup before serving.

BREAD SOUP ALENTEJO-STYLE (PORTUGUESE)

Steps:

• Mash the garlic with the salt,forming a paste.
• In a large bowl,mix the paste with the olive oil and cilantro.
• Gradually stir in 1/2 the water.
• Tear the bread into medium sized pieces,(2 to 3 inches) Toss in as little or as much as you wish.
• Allow it to soak up some water for about 5 minutes.Add more water if necessary,so that mixture is not dry.
• Mix gently. Ther should be a decent amount of broth,although the ratio of liquid to bread is a matter of preference.
• Break eggs into a small bowl,one at a time, then slide them in the large bowl a making space between the pieces of bread, and allow them to poach in the hot broth.(about 5 minutes.) *Be sure the broth is piping hot so the eggs will cook*.
• Ladle the soup into serving bowls, including an egg in each one.
• Serve immediately.
• NOTE: The eggs can be boiled or poached seperately and then added to each soup bowl.

ACORDA ALENTEJANA / ALENTEJO BREAD AND GARLIC SOUP

Steps:

• Mince the garlic and mix with the salt in a soup pan.
• Add the olive oil and chopped coriander (cilantro) then add the water and stir well.
• Heat a separate pan of water and gently drop in your eggs to poach them.
• Serve the garlic soup into individual dishes, place a slice of bread on top of each and then gently top with one poached egg per plate.

GASPACHO à ALENTEJANA (GAZPACHO ALENTEJO'S WAY)

Steps:

• In a pestle and mortar smash garlic cloves with salt. Put the resulting paste in a terrine. Add olive oil and vinegar and season with pepper.
• Puree one tomato in the blender. Add to the terrine. Cut in small dices the other tomato, green pepper and cucumber and add to the terrine. Pour 1 1/2 liter of iced water. Season with oreganos and add bread cut up in dices. Wait 15 minutes and eat. Good to acompaign fried fish, presunto or chouriço.