Chef Tom – Caldo and Collier

Caldo Verde (Green Soup), a nutritious bowl of sausage and greens, thickened with potato, originated from the Minho Province in northern Portugal, where it has been eaten for centuries. It is a simple, modest, yet comforting dish that’s often served at the beginning of a meal, but with a nice hunk of whole grain bread and perhaps a simple salad, can be eaten as a light dinner.

Caldo Verde

Thanks to the high nutritional value of kale, Caldo Verde provides an accessible and nourishing meal, especially when purse strings were tight.

A testament to the fact that things don’t need to be fancy to guarantee a devoted following, Caldo Verde is simple, cheap, and one of the most beloved staples of Portuguese cuisine. Plus, with the spicy-umami of linguica, tasty as heck.

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1 medium yellow onion or large leek, finely diced

3 medium cloves garlic, sliced thin

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large russet potato, peeled, quartered, and cut into 1/4-inch slices

2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, quartered, and cut into 1/4-inch slices

3 large carrots, peeled and diced

1 1/2 quarts homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock (I prefer bone broth)

1 bunch dinosaur (or Lacinato) kale, tough stems removed, leaves roughly chopped

12 ounces cooked linguiça or other garlicky pork sausage, cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices

1 bunch minced fresh chives, for garnish

Directions:
Heat butter in a large Dutch oven or saucepan over medium-low heat until melted. Brown the sausage slices and remove. In the remaining fat, add onion (or leek) and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramelized and nutty brown, about 30-45 minutes, adding olive oil as necessary to keep the mixture loose and moist.

Add potatoes and stock and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Add kale and continue to cook until russet potato slices have completely broken down (you can press them with a spoon or potato masher for an even thicker texture), the Yukon Golds are tender, the greens have softened, and the soup has thickened to a creamy consistency, another 30-45 minutes.

Stir in the browned sausage to heat through. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper and serve garnished with chives.

ON THAT NOTE

Some young folks who’ve not let being apart for the pandemic stop them. Here are a few complex, well-arranged, lush acapella covers done in the last few weeks.

Big Yellow Taxi – The Pennchants

All My Lovin’ || Circle Of Fifths UCI Acapella

Moon River | The Harvard Opportunes (Frank Ocean A Cappella Cover)

BONUS TRACK

From my favorite Goof-Genius.

Jacob Collier

Jacob Collier – Here Comes The Sun (feat. dodie)

=CTH=

Chef Tom is currently transitioning from Personal Chef to Private Chef. He also teaches cooking classes, caters small parties and leads overseas culinary tours. His specialty for the last twelve years has been cooking for people with food allergies and sensitivities. His motto is “Food should give you pleasure, not pressure.”

Check him out at www.hippkitchen.com