Prep Time 15 minutes Cook Time 30 minutes
Don't call this Caldo Verde, or your Portuguese grandmother will tell you that the broth should only be made of potatoes and the sausage should only be chorizo. That's okay. It doesn't need to be authentic - it just needs to taste great. And boy does it. Filled with deep green kale (of the I-bought-it-but-now-what? variety) and skin-on spuds, this is soup at its most delicious and nourishing best. And the bites of smoky sausage will appeal to even the smallest skeptics.
by Catherine Newman
What you'll need
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt (or half as much table salt)
- 2 large cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 pound skin-on boiling potatoes, diced into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 quart chicken broth
- a pinch of chili flakes (optional)
- 1 bunch kale, washed, thick ribs removed, and chopped
- 3 cups water
- 8 ounces cooked, smoked sausage (such as kielbasa), diced (optional)
Notes:
Serves 4-6
How to make it
- Heat the olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat, then sauté the onion with the salt and garlic for 5 or so minutes stirring frequently.
- Add the potatoes, the broth and the chili flakes. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat before turning the heat down to low.
- Simmer for 10 minutes, then add the kale and water and cook another 30 minutes, until the potatoes and the kale are very tender.
- Meanwhile, fry the sausage in a medium frying pan until browned.
- Using a blender, food processor, or hand blender, puree half the soup: you want there to be nice chunks of vegetable still, but also a nice, unified background texture. Stir in the sausage, taste for salt, and serve.
