Caldo Verde

Prepare the ingredients: thinly slice the Onion and mince the Garlic. Peel and cut the Floury Potatoes into roughly even chunks. Wash and very thinly slice the Couve Galega into fine ribbons. Slice one of the chouriços (I use the Portuguese Chouriço; you can substitute the Chouriço if you prefer).

Heat a splash of Olive Oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the sliced onion and cook until translucent, 4–6 minutes, then add the garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.

Add the potato chunks to the pot and pour in enough Water to cover by about 1–2 inches. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat, and cook until the potatoes are very tender, about 15–20 minutes.

Once the potatoes are soft, remove about a cup of the cooking liquid and set aside. Using an immersion blender (or working in batches in a stand blender), purée the soup until smooth and creamy; add reserved cooking liquid if you want a thinner consistency. Leave a little texture if you prefer a more rustic soup.

While the soup simmers, fry the chouriço slices in a small skillet over medium heat for 2–3 minutes per side until they release some oil and begin to crisp—this concentrates their flavor. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Stir the sliced kale into the hot puréed soup and simmer gently for 3–5 minutes until the greens are tender but still bright.

Return most of the chouriço to the pot to infuse the soup with its smoky, spicy flavor, reserving a few slices for garnish. Season to taste with Fine Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper.

Ladle the Caldo Verde into bowls, top with the reserved chouriço slices and a light drizzle of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil. Serve hot with crusty bread.