Caldo Verde on a Rainy Night

Some of the best food we’ve had in our travels has been the Portuguese home-cooking from Fernando’s. After a rough night and even rougher ferry boat ride, a steaming bowl of caldo verde awaited us and proved to be the perfect cure for whatever ails you. We decided to try and re-create the recipe, and it proved to be a great success. The soup is deceptively simple, can be made in about half an hour, is filling and nutritious. A food processor fitted with a wide shredding blade makes quick work of the chopping of the vegetables, but you can also use a knife. 

The ingredients are also cheap, and, as with most soups, the leftovers taste even better the next day. If you plan ahead, start the no-knead bread recipe the night before, and you can serve it with the caldo verde for a very satisfying winter meal. Also, like with many of my recipes, you can freeze the leftovers for a few weeks.

Caldo Verde

cook time: 30 minutes

serves: 6

1/2 medium sized onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound red potatoes, washed and diced with the skin on

1/2 pound kale, thinly sliced

1/2 pound collard greens, thinly sliced

3 stalks celery, finely chopped

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

2 links Portuguese sausage, sliced (can substitute mild Italian sausage or smoked chorizo if not available)

6-8 cups of water

salt and pepper to taste

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the garlic and onion, cooking until translucent. Add the potatoes and water, using enough water to cover the potatoes and create a nice broth. Let the potatoes simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. While the potatoes are cooking, in a separate saute pan, brown the sliced sausage on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes. When the sausage is brown, set it aside until the soup is finished. 

Once the potatoes are tender, use an immersion (stick) blender to puree the soup. (You can also carefully ladle the soup into a regular blender or food processor to blend the potatoes and broth; cover the lid with a kitchen towel while blending to prevent spills.) I like the potatoes to have some texture, but you can make it a smooth puree if desired. After blending, add the celery, collard greens, and kale to the pot, and cook for 5 minutes until tender. Stir in the browned sausage, remaining olive oil, and season to taste. After ladling the soup into bowls, you may also top with a teaspoon of olive oil, if desired.