Caldo verde (pronounced [ˈkaldu ˈveɾrde], Portuguese for “green broth”) is a popular soup in Portuguese cuisine.
The basic traditional ingredients for caldo verde are finely shredded Portuguese cabbage or couve-galega (essentially a type of kale or collard green), (or alternatively other leafy greens such as kale or mustard greens), potatoes, olive oil, black pepper and salt, mainly flavoured with onion and garlic. Some regional recipes favour slight variations, like turnip greens or added meat, such as ham hock. Traditionally, the soup is accompanied by slices of paio, chouriço or linguiça (boiled whole with the potatoes, then sliced and added to the finished soup when serving) and with Portuguese broa / corn-bread or rye-bread for dipping. In Portugal, caldo verde is typically consumed during events such as weddings, birthdays and popular celebrations. It is sometimes consumed before a main course or as a late supper. It is traditionally served in earthenware bowls called tigela.
Caldo verde originated from the Minho Province in northern Portugal. Today, it is a traditional national favourite that has spread across the nation and abroad, especially to places where a large community of Portuguese migrants have settled such as Brazil, Macau, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Toronto. References to the soup appear in many novels by Camilo Castelo Branco. In 2011, following the result of a public vote, the soup was announced as one of Portugal’s Seven Wonders of Gastronomy, highlighting both its popularity and heritage in Portugal.
Ingredients
| Ingredients |
Units |
Grams |
Ounces |
Pounds |
Teaspoons |
Tablespoon |
Cups |
| Portuguese Kale |
1 sliced into chiffonade |
400 |
14.11 |
0.88 |
70.3 |
28 |
1.7 |
| Potatoes |
10, diced |
1500 |
52.91 |
3.31 |
263.6 |
106 |
6.3 |
| Extra Virgin Olive Oil |
|
250 |
8.82 |
0.55 |
43.9 |
18 |
1.0 |
| Chouriço |
1 sliced |
455 |
16.05 |
1.00 |
80.0 |
32 |
1.9 |
| Water |
3 litres or 3 quarts |
3000 |
105.82 |
6.61 |
527.2 |
212 |
12.5 |
| Onion |
1 sliced into quarters |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Garlic Cloves |
3 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Salt |
To taste |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Preparation
Fill a large stock pot with 3 litres or 3/quarts of water and bring to a boil. In the meantime, peel and chop the potatoes, onion, and garlic cloves.
Add the vegetables, half of the Olive Oil and a pinch of salt to the boiling water. Reduce the heat to medium low.
Boil the soup about 15–20 minutes, until the vegetables are soft and fully cooked.
While the veggies are cooking, wash the kale and finely chop into long, thin strands, in a chiffonade.
When the vegetables are fully cooked, blend the soup, until uniform, with a smooth consistency.
Heat the blended broth over low heat. Add the remainder of the Olive Oil, the sliced chorizo and stir in the kale.
Simmer 5–10 minutes or until the kale is cooked through.
Remove the soup from the heat.
Ladle the soup into individual bowls and serve with bread.
