Caldo Verde Soup

Caldo Verde Soup
4.7 from 3 ratings
Here is a simple recipe for a traditional Portugese caldo verde, a potato and kale soup that is silky, elegant, and full of fantastic flavor.This recipe is courtesy of David Santos, chef and partner of Good Stock NYC.
Servings
5
servings
Ingredients
  • 1 cup cooking grade olive oil
  • 1 large white onion
  • 30 cloves garlic, cut in halves
  • kosher salt to taste
  • 2 tablespoon ground pepper to taste
  • 12 cup cold water
  • 8 cup sliced yukon gold potatoes with the skin left on
  • 8 cup de-stemmed and chopped kale
  • smoked paprika oil to garnish (see below)
  • 4 parts olive oil to 1 part smoked paprika
Directions
  1. Over medium-high heat, begin heating up a large pot.
  2. Once the pot is hot to touch, add olive oil, onion, and garlic.
  3. Once the onions start to soften, add pepper and salt to taste.
  4. Let the onions and garlic sweat for 6-7 minutes until the onions are very soft.
  5. Add 3 quarts of cold water to the pot, followed by the sliced potatoes.
  6. Bring the heat to high and let cook until the soup gets to a boil.
  7. Once boiling, bring the soup down to a gentle simmer for 10-15 minutes with the lid on.
  8. The soup is ready when the onions and potatoes are extremely tender and falling apart.
  9. Take the pot off the heat and use a hand blender to purée the potatoes until the soup gets a smooth consistency. Add water if needed. The soup should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  10. Mix in the kale and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  11. Serve with a drizzle of smoked paprika oil.
  12. In a small sauce pan heat up 4 parts olive oil to 1 part smoked paprika on medium heat until oil is warm (not hot).