This broth originates from high, humid and cold lands where people used to live from small family owned farms. It's made from available and common ingredients of the time. Maybe due to its origin it's a very comforting food, ideal in cold and damp days or when you're feeling very cold. Due to Portuguese immigration, caldo verde is also known in places where a large community of Portuguese immigrants have settled such as Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Rhode Island in the United States. Also in Toronto and other Canadian cities where there is a Portuguese community the dish is known. Of course it's also well known in Brazil.
Don't add any other ingredient besides the ones listed. The idea behind caldo verde is to get the original flavor and aromas from the collard greens, the potatoes and the chouriço.
For meat and animal fat you have the chouriço. In this recipe I'm using a chouriço from Serra da Estrela (Estrela Mountain Range). It's a salty, spiced chouriço and it even has some small amount of chilli.
For presentation or as side dishes if you're serving the soup as a main dish tradition goes for cornbread and Minho's most typical wine: red "green wine". Personally I think this serves as a great main course with spicy olives, toasted cornbread with garlic and butter, a variety of grilled chouriços (meat or blood), and any non white bread. If you don't have the traditional green wine there are plenty of excellent reds that suit caldo verde very well. In the video bellow I went for a light Dão red wine.
If you're vegetarian just skip the chouriço and make the rest of the recipe without it.
There's really no trick in this recipe. You just need to pay attention to the quality and freshness of your ingredients.
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| This recipe originates in Minho Province, Portugal |
Ingredients
1Kg of laura potatoes (red potatoes).
250g of collard greens.
1 medium sized onion.
2 garlic cloves.
1 tablespoon salt.
1 teaspoon of black pepper.
1/2 high quality Portuguese meat chouriço (you may substitute with paio or linguiça)
A good quality olive oil.
Water.
Preparation
1. Start by cutting your collard greens into very thin slices. Some prefer to use a machine or a circular blade to cut the leafs into thin strips but I prefer to use the knife. Whatever the method it's important to keep the pieces very thin to reduce the cooking time and make sure the collard greens keep green yeat soft and tender after cooked. On top of it thin is the traditional way. If you end up with some bigger pieces don't stress over it. It's not a big deal. Reserve the cut greens.
2. As for the potatoes... do not peel the potatoes! Just make a circular cut around the midsection of the potato. Do that to every potato. If you keep your knife sharp this task is very straightforward. You just need to roll the potato against the blade without much effort. Avoid putting pressure on the knife since you're pointing it against your hand. Be careful.
Put the potatoes in a pan with boiling water and 2 generous teaspoons of salt and let them cook until soft. When they are done cooking drain them and pour cold water over the potatoes. Peel them. You'll be able to peel them with your fingers.
3. Make a garlic paste. After peeling the garlic, mince it. Make it as small as possible. Then smash it a bit pressing hard. Add some salt to the crushed and minced garlic. Now you have an abrasive substance that will make your life easier. Using the blade of the knife crush again and slide the blade against the garlic. If needed mince it again. Repeat until you have a paste and reserve.
4. Now finely chop the onion and reserve it.
5. Make a cut lengthwise on the chouriço and peel it completely. Cut 6 cm or 2 inches off. Take the smallest piece and very finely slice it. Try to make these slices thin enough for the light to go through them. Reserve for later use.
6. Slice the biggest piece of chouriço and grill the slices in the pan where you'll make the soup. Melt all the fat and let it become crispy. Take the chouriço out of the pan and reserve.
7. Add the onion and garlic to the chouriço fat, add some olive oil and let the onion become golden.
8. Cut or smash the potatoes into small pieces and add them to the onion. Add enough water and make a smooth puree.
9. Check the consistency of the puree adding water only if necessary to get a non-watery liquid. Add the salt and black pepper. Let it boil.
10. Add the collard greens and let it cook until tender but for the least amount of time possible.
11. Reduce the heat. Add the chouriço grilled slices and cook for 5 minutes.
2. As for the potatoes... do not peel the potatoes! Just make a circular cut around the midsection of the potato. Do that to every potato. If you keep your knife sharp this task is very straightforward. You just need to roll the potato against the blade without much effort. Avoid putting pressure on the knife since you're pointing it against your hand. Be careful.
Put the potatoes in a pan with boiling water and 2 generous teaspoons of salt and let them cook until soft. When they are done cooking drain them and pour cold water over the potatoes. Peel them. You'll be able to peel them with your fingers.
3. Make a garlic paste. After peeling the garlic, mince it. Make it as small as possible. Then smash it a bit pressing hard. Add some salt to the crushed and minced garlic. Now you have an abrasive substance that will make your life easier. Using the blade of the knife crush again and slide the blade against the garlic. If needed mince it again. Repeat until you have a paste and reserve.
4. Now finely chop the onion and reserve it.
5. Make a cut lengthwise on the chouriço and peel it completely. Cut 6 cm or 2 inches off. Take the smallest piece and very finely slice it. Try to make these slices thin enough for the light to go through them. Reserve for later use.
6. Slice the biggest piece of chouriço and grill the slices in the pan where you'll make the soup. Melt all the fat and let it become crispy. Take the chouriço out of the pan and reserve.
7. Add the onion and garlic to the chouriço fat, add some olive oil and let the onion become golden.
8. Cut or smash the potatoes into small pieces and add them to the onion. Add enough water and make a smooth puree.
9. Check the consistency of the puree adding water only if necessary to get a non-watery liquid. Add the salt and black pepper. Let it boil.
10. Add the collard greens and let it cook until tender but for the least amount of time possible.
11. Reduce the heat. Add the chouriço grilled slices and cook for 5 minutes.
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