Caldo verde

For our Portuguese World Cup meal, we had caldo verde. I served it with some Ponte Nova cheese, chourico (Portuguese chorizo), Portuguese bread and pastéis de nata for dessert.

My version of this soup is vegetarian, and based on the recipe in Madhur Jaffrey’s World of the East Vegetarian Cooking.

I’ve been making caldo verde for years – back when kale was a challenge to find – and was happily surprised when both girls liked it from an early age. Maybe all that garlic?

Caldo verde
(serves 6)

• 4 medium floury potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 medium onions, diced
• 4 cups shredded kale
• 12 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
• 6 peppercorns
• 1 Tb olive oil

1. Combine the potatoes, onions, kale, garlic, salt and peppercorns in a large pot.
2. Add enough water to just cover the vegetables.
3. Cook over a medium heat, partially covered, for about an hour, or until the kale is very tender.
4. Allow the soup to cool a bit, then blend until smooth.
5. If it’s too thick, simmer uncovered for a bit longer. If it’s too thin, add some water.
6. Just before serving, stir in the olive oil and adjust the seasoning.

Family score: 8.8 out of 10

Tags: dairy-free, garlic, gluten-free, kale, olive oil, Portuguese food, potatoes, vegan, vegetarian