Caldo Verde

Wintertime Favorite
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Ingredients
  

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 12 ounces Linguica sausage or hard chorizo chub
  • 1 onion diced fine plus a pinch of salt
  • 3 pounds russet potatoes peeled, sliced
  • 2 tsp salt plus more as needed
  • 2 quarts chicken broth
  • 2 pounds kale trimmed, chopped, washed and drained (or one bag of pre-washed packaged kale)
  • pinch of cayenne optional

Instructions
 

  • Take sausage and slice into coins or quarters
  • In large soup pot, heat olive oil until shimmering, then saute the sausage coins.
  • If using soft linguica sausage, cook for about 3 minutes or until the edges brown, and the oil takes on some of the color from the sausages
  • If using hard chorizo, cook for about 5 minutes or until the pieces get crispy
  • Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage and set aside in a bowl, leaving the oil in the pan
  • Reduce heat to med-low and add diced onions and pinch of salt. Cook until translucent.
  • Add the sliced potatoes, another pinch of salt, and cayenne pepper
  • Completely submerge with broth. Raise heat to high and bring to a light boil.
  • Once boiling, reduce heat to med-low and cook until potatoes or tender, about 30-40 minutes based on thickness
  • Once potatoes are fully cooked (fall apart when smashed against the site of the pot with a spatula), take a potato smasher or hand blender to mash the potatoes until it reaches the desired texture
  • Stir in the kale in bunches so that it wilts and makes room. Add the sausage
  • Cook soup until greens reach desired tenderness, 20-40 minutes.