Kale and potato soup with chorizo (caldo verde)

Kale has become quite popular in recent times, and developed a healthy food reputation. It is available in most large supermarkets. Here, kale and chorizo are added to a hearty Portuguese potato soup recipe.

• serves

  6

• prep

  15 minutes

• cook

  40 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp olive oil 
• 2 (about 340 g) chorizos, thinly sliced 
• 1 onion, finely chopped 
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 
• 6 (about 1.2 kg) sebago or desiree potatoes, peeled, quartered 
• 1.75 litres water
• 2 tsp salt 
• 1 tsp pepper
• 100 g (1¼ cups) cavolo nero (Tuscan kale) or white cabbage, finely shredded 
• crusty bread, to serve

Instructions

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook chorizo for 2 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a plate. Add onion and garlic to the same pan and cook for 3 minutes or until onion softens. Increase heat to high, add potato and cook for a further 3 minutes or until potatoes start to soften.

Add the water and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes or until potato is very tender.

Using a handheld blender, purée soup until roughly blended. Return pan over high heat, stir in chorizo, salt and pepper, and cook for 2 minutes or until heated through.

Stir in cavolo nero, cover, and stand for 5 minutes or until wilted. Serve with crusty bread.

As seen in Feast magazine, Issue 11, pg103.

Photography by Peter Georgakopoulos

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.