caldo verde

Look, I feel a bit silly posting a photograph taken with my cracked and battered phone, feel as though it's a bit of cheat, but this bowl of soup managed to a) use an armload of the kale that seems to be all I've been able to grow this year and b) taste much better (so much better) than the sum of its humble parts that I want to say something about both it and the book it came from immediately. As a testament to just how compelling Tod Davies' writing is and, amazingly, how damned fine her Caldo Verde is, I am, as I sit typing, still in dirt-encrusted gear from the farm so committed am I to this bloody marvellous idea. I really need a shower, but the soup is too good to wait.

Basically, you chop an onion and a couple of cloves of garlic. You peel 4 or 5 potatoes - an all purpose veering-toward-waxy spud like desiree is good as it will retain some shape in the final gorgeous broth - and, along with a couple of generous spoonfuls of olive oil, bung the lot into a saucepan, cover generously with water and boil, then simmer at a lively pace, all together, occasionally giving the potatoes a bit of squish with a big spoon as you walk by. How long? Really, I cannot say. Long enough to have some perfectly tender chunks of potato left, but so that, mostly, what you have is a silken, pale-and-interesting potato broth. Add salt. Add pepper. Take a walk into the garden and nab an armload of kale. Destalk, slice, and dump into saucepan. Up the heat and boil, hard, for 3 minutes. Ladle into shallow bowls, dress with more olive oil and, because the cabbage and potato combination struck me as being Irish Peasant not just Portugese Peasant, I added a large (a-hem) spoonful of sour cream and, just 'cos Spain is next door, a dusting of smoked paprika which, if you'll forgive me Tod, made it even richer.  

I'm only a couple of chapters in, but Jam Today Too: The Revolution Will Not Be Catered is shaping up to be a brilliant follow up to what's become one of my very favourite books about food, ever.

     

Comments

[vegeyum.wordpress.com]

That looks far too good to be decent, Lucy. xx

[lucy]

ganga, i do not know how i got to be 42 - forty two!! - and not make this classic. it's even vegan, for gawdsake, and yet tastes, as the best peasant food always does, as though it is so much more involved. hint: even better-er the next day... xx

[kathryn]

This looks really good. I'm pretty sure I'm getting a bushel of kale in my veg box this week. I have been making a spinach pie most weeks, with the greens from our box, but have been looking for something new to try out.

Do you really boil the kale vigorously? I'd be to hesitant about doing that usually - thinking it might make the kale bitter or sulphurous. But I know Tod's work (as you know), so I'm going to try this out.

[Lesh]

Thanks for introducing me to Tod Davies - can't wait to read that book! Lesh x

[ElmBotanicals]

I too have been trying to think of ways other than kale pie/quiche/salad to greet the seasons’ abundance. So thank you for the inspiration and the introduction to Tod. Looks like a perfect antidote to midweek cooking head scratching :) Clara

[Denise]

Looks delicious and I like your smoked paprika addition. Well done!

[alison]

thank you for a vegetarian version ... i have missed the caldo verde of my childhood, not having the imagination to create a new idea at this point in time. it looks and sounds totally wonderful, and i thank you.

[Elaine]

It is a very hot summer day outside and even hotter inside my home. I've cranked up all the fans to 11 in terms of velocity and volume. I cannot hear a thing. Piper has pressed his body up against the front door where a sliver of cool air blows in from the hallway. And I am reading. Your blog posts and then on to where they lead me. Thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing your discoveries and creations. xx, e

[lucy]

elaine! that sounds hideous, my friend. bloody heat, eh?

red hot tip for keeping you and piper cool - pop a bunch of ice cubes in a bowl and sit it in front of the fan for a cooler fanning. works a treat for us on those awful days. x