Caldo Verde (Portugese Kale Soup)

I don't have any sort of story behind this soup, except that I always fancied it. I believe I first experienced this soup while working at the hospital, and was brave enough to enter the cafeteria where my choice was this or a chicken noodle soup that had what appeared to be pink chicken, need I say more about what my choice was. After that I always had a soft spot for this soup, not only because it saved me from what could have been a delightful case of salmonella, but it was quite tasty. I still could not help but wonder what it was really supposed to taste like, because let's face it, the hospital cafeteria is not the best place to have a taste test. I decided to finally hunt down a recipe from John Villa. It's a versatile dish: Serve it as a one-course meal at lunch or as a light supper in the evening. What's crucial when preparing it is that the kale is cut into extremely fine slices; that's what creates the soup's distinctive character.

Ingredients

¼ cup olive oil

1 large Spanish onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

10 ounces chourico, diced

6 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

8 cups cold water

1 pound Kale or collard greens, cut into very fine julienne

salt and pepper to taste.

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until they are translucent. Add the garlic and half the chouriço and cook for 2 minutes. Add the potatoes, cover everything with the water, bring to a boil and lower the heat, simmering until the potatoes are almost done, about 15 minutes.

2. When the soup is cool enough to handle, purée it in the food processor and return to the pot. Add the greens, bring everything back to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, ladle into bowls, and garnish with the remaining cubes of chouriço.