Caldo Verde

Another old but excellent and easy one-pot standby, this hearty soup makes a regular appearance at our table every couple of months or so.  As with many of these kinds of peasant soups and stews, there are an infinite number of variations.  I believe at a minimum, the soup calls for some sort of green (kale, collards and cabbage are most common in the recipes I’ve seen cited); some sort of starch – usually potato; some form of allium – onion and or garlic; and finally, sausage.  This time I used broccoli rabe (for the first time ever) and while it turned out delicious, perhaps sticking with sturdier greens is preferable.   I also add tomato (which is not classic) since I like the acidity that comes from this component; other recipes that don’t include tomato sometimes call for the addition of a few spoonfuls of vinegar.  Finally, in this last go-round I eschewed potatoes and included a cupful of pearled (fast cooking) farro.

Caldo Verde Ingredients

Ingredients

• 2 lbs sausage of your choice, sliced – some go for Spanish Chorizo; I use whatever strikes my fancy – even bratwurst.
• 1 medium onion
• 4-5 cloves of garlic
• 1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes
• 1 14-oz. can white beans (optional)
• 2 carrots, chopped in a larger dice (optional)
• 1 large bunch kale, torn into bite-sized pieces
• 2-3 russet potatoes (or 4 yukon golds), cleaned and diced (skin-on optional)
• 4-5 cups (or more) chicken or vegetable broth
• ~2 tsp Smoked paprika
• Olive oil
• Salt, pepper to taste
• Parmesan Cheese to taste

Procedure

Pour some olive oil into your stock pot and sautee your sausages until browned.  If the sausages exude a bit more oil, great!  Remove the sausages from the pot.  Add the potatoes to the sausage grease and sautée, fry until lightly crisp and brown on the outside.  If the residual oil/ sausage grease has been absorbed by the potatoes, pour in a bit more olive oil and throw in the onion, garlic and carrots; sautee until soft.

Add back the sausage, potatoes, and white beans if using. Stir until well incorporated and then add in the canned tomatoes and broth.  Stir to mix; then cover and let simmer over low-medium heat for about 30 minutes.  Check the soup after this time to see if the beans have helped thicken it.  If only using potatoes, you can mash up a few of the chunks to help thicken the soup.

Cover and let simmer for 10 more minutes.  (If using pearled farro, add it in at this point and let simmer for 20 minutes instead of 10.) Add the kale and cover.

Quickly set a smaller pot on the stove and heat up a few tablespoonfuls of olive oil.  When the oil has heated, add in the smoked paprika.  Let the oil cool at bit.  After the greens have wilted, add the oil and paprika into the soup – the hot oil hitting the soup will most likely sizzle and hiss. Be careful.

Serve heaping bowlfuls with parmesan (I like lots in mine), and crusty bread.  Top with more extra virgin olive oil if desired.