Caldo Verde

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One of the things I miss most about home is Portuguese food. Every single time I go back to Virginia we have to eat it. I didn't expect much from Austin, but moving to Atlanta I hoped there would be enough of a Portuguese community that could offer some variety, but as far as I know there is only one >:(. My dad owned a restaurant when I was a kid which meant great food when I was there, but he never cooked at home, so I never got a proper learning for cooking it. 

I took it upon myself to learn, starting with something super simple but one of my favorites - Caldo verde. It's a potato based soup with kale and linguica (Portuguese sausage). This is one of those soups that tastes better day after day, after the flavors have time to meld together, and best served with delicious bread. Try it out!

(I kind of just wing it, so you can adjust to your taste preferences)

3 tbsp olive oil

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, chopped

6 potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced

1 quart chicken or vegetable broth

1 quart water

2 links of linguica (which is impossible  to find, chorizo is fine) 

ground pepper to taste

a few handfuls of kale, chopped

In a large saucepan over medium  heat, cook olive oil, garlic, and onion for a few minutes. Stir in the sliced potatoes, incorporating it with the oil, garlic and onions. Add the broth and water, bring to a boil and continue boiling for 20 minutes. In a separate pan, cook the linguica thoroughly, remove from heat and slice thin. 

When potatoes are soft, remove from heat and blend with a hand mixer (trust me, I've learned this is the best way through trial and error) for several minutes. Put back on heat, adding a bit of pepper, linguica, and kale. Simmer for 5 minutes. Devour soup.

Ah, I have a full belly and a dog begging for extra sausage. Now if only I could figure out how to make pastel de natas..