Simply ‘Caldo Verde’

Caldo Verde with Chouriço Assado. Photo by Filipe Gill

There is this dish that is not really a soup although is a soup. Confused? Please meet Caldo Verde.

Albeit being a soup, Caldo Verde is associated as a late evening comfort snack. It is traditionally served on the Arraiais Populares with grilled sardines and at 2am on New Years’ Eve to keep you going through the night.

Although it became a national dish, Caldo Verde is originally from the Minho region.

The traditional way to serve it is with salpicão, a northern chouriço made with pork loin. The idea is to put a couple of slices of salpicão on the bottom of a red clay bowl and pour the Caldo Verde on top. It goes really well with Vinho Verde Tinto, the very special kind of Vinho Verde that we will discuss better in a dedicated article.

It should always be served with a slice of good bread: Broa de Milho, or Pão de Centeio, maize, and rye bread, respectively.

If you want to have a go and make it at home, I will share my limited experience cooking this dish.

Ingredients (serves 4)

3 large white Potatoes; 2 large white Onions; Garlic; Olive Oil, Sea Salt, Chouriço, Ready-made Caldo Verde (shredded cabbage); 1 Broa de Milho; Sea Salt.

You should get all these ingredients in a regular supermarket. If you get it from the market, even better. In this case, ask the vegetable Ladies for a bag of Caldo Verde.

Preparation

Peel and quarter the potatoes and onions. Peel the garlic. In a large pan, put some water and these ingredients together with some olive oil. Boil for 15 minutes until well cooked. Blitz it into a puree. It should be creamy, but still quite liquid. If necessary add more water. Put in the Caldo Verde and let it boil for another 15 minutes. Meanwhile, dry-fry sliced chouriço in a pan to make it slightly crispy. Add some of the slices to the boil to add flavour. Reserve the remaining to serve. Slice the Broa de Milho.

Note: make sure you have the right consistency: not too liquid; not too thick. The cabbage should be cooked and slightly crunchy, but it depends on your own taste a preference.

To serve

On each of the bowls put, at least 2 slices of chouriço on the bottom and pour a couple of ladles of the Caldo Verde. Drizzle some olive oil on top.

Serve with the Broa de Milho and a glass of Vinho Verde Tinto if you feel like being really traditional. From my experience, this sharp and slightly fizzy wine makes a great connection with the Caldo Verde and Broa de Milho. On your third glass of wine, you should be speaking fluent Portuguese. Saúde!

If you have questions, please get in touch.

Suggested music: Verdes Anos, Carlos Paredes

Carlos Parede is THE Portuguese guitar player. This particular music is, in my opinion, quintessencial Portugal. Very much like the Caldo Verde.