Green Cabbage Caldo Verde Food

CALDO VERDE (PORTUGUESE CABBAGE SOUP)

Steps:

• 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 (alternatively, buy a cabbage-shredding machine from the market as we did).
• 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 the broth will support - if you want heavy soup add loads of greens, if lighter, add less.
• 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.

CALDO VERDE (PORTUGUESE CABBAGE SOUP)

Steps:

• Pour the oil into soup pot and saute onions for five minutes.
• Add the potatoes, cabbage, chicken stock, wine, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat and cover the pot. Simmer for an hour. Turn off the heat and let soup rest for 10 minutes.
• Serve hot.

CALDO VERDE

Steps:

• Take whatever greens you are using and stack several leaves on top of each other. Starting at the wide side, roll the stack up into a tight cylinder. Slice across the cylinder with a very sharp knife to make thin, hairlike shreds. Repeat with remaining leaves. Set aside shredded greens.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large kettle over medium high heat. Add sausage slices and fry until lightly colored and fat is rendered, about 10 minutes. Remove from pot with slotted spoon and reserve. Add remaining tablespoon oil to pot, then add onions and salt and pepper. Stir well, then cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are softened, 5 minutes. Add the garlic, stir, and cook one minute until its aroma is released. Add the potatoes, turn the heat to medium high, and saute 3 to 5 minutes until onions and potatoes begin to color. Add the water, cover, and simmer over low heat until potatoes can be mashed easily against side of pot with a wooden spoon, about 25 minutes. When potatoes are soft, turn off the heat and use a potato masher to thoroughly crush and blend. Add the sausage, turn the heat on to medium, and simmer 5 minutes to bring the flavors together. Stir in the greens and cook 5 minutes until bright green and tender. Taste, adjust seasoning, and serve.
• This soup, literally Green Soup, could be called the national dish of Portugal. It is traditionally made with a type of flat green cabbage called couve gallego.
• The method of slicing leaves like this is called a chiffonade in the French lexicon. Important to get them thin enough that they will cook quickly.

CALDO VERDE (PORTUGUESE GREEN SOUP)

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium heat, cook onion and garlic in 3 tablespoons olive oil for 3 minutes. Stir in potatoes and cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes more. Pour in water, bring to a boil, and let boil gently for 20 minutes, until potatoes are mushy.
• Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-low heat, cook sausage until it has released most of its fat, 10 minutes. Drain.
• Mash potatoes or puree the potato mixture with a blender or food processor. Stir the sausage, salt and pepper into the soup and return to medium heat. Cover and simmer 5 minutes.
• Just before serving, stir kale into soup and simmer, 5 minutes, until kale is tender and jade green. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and serve at once.

CALDO VERDE (PORTUGUESE GREEN SOUP)

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes or until onion is tender.
• Add the broth and potatoes. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes or until potatoes are very soft. Using a potato masher or large spoon, slightly mash potatoes to thicken soup.
• Stir in the spinach, kielbasa, salt, and pepper. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes more until heated through.