Reader Recipe: New-Style Caldo Verde

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by Emeril Lagasse, Saturday Evening Post

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Caldo Verde

If I had to choose one dish to represent my childhood, 
it would be this. I call this version ‘new-style’ because the kale is cut into thin strips and is cooked only until crisp-tender, which differs from the more traditional version. 
Ines, my Portuguese friend back home, would be proud. Serve this with crusty bread alongside.

New-Style Caldo Verde

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow onions
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 pounds Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 7 cups chicken stock or canned, low-sodium chicken broth
  • Salt (if desired) and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 8 ounces kale, large stems and ribs removed
  • 8 ounces firm (smoked) chorizo or other hot smoked sausage, �diced or crumbled
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Cooking Directions

  1. Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in large soup pot, and add onions and garlic.
  2. Cook until onions are wilted, 4 minutes.
  3. Add potatoes and chicken stock, cover, and bring to boil.
  4. Season with salt and pepper, and add crushed red pepper.
  5. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until potatoes are tender, 20 minutes.
  6. While potatoes are cooking, thinly slice kale. Set aside.
  7. When soup is thick and potatoes have begun to break down, add sausage and cook for 5 minutes.
  8. Stir in kale and simmer until leaves have softened but are still slightly crunchy and flavors have melded, 15 minutes.
  9. Stir in cilantro, parsley, and mint, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

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2 thoughts on “Reader Recipe: New-Style Caldo Verde”

    1. Hey Jennifer – We have never been a vegan or vegetarian site. While a big percentage of our writing staff is veg*n, here at EDB we embrace anyone who’s trying to eat more consciously, and cooking at home is a big part of that. We talk a lot about veg*n recipes/issues, because our co-editors are both vegan, but we do share non-veg recipes and news as well.

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