Portuguese Potato Soup Recipes

PORTUGUESE KALE AND POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 5-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then brown sausage, stirring often, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Add 2 tablespoon oil to fat in pot and cook onion and garlic with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper over medium heat, stirring often, until browned, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Add potatoes, water, and 1 teaspoon salt and simmer, covered, until potatoes are very tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Mash some potatoes into soup to thicken, then add kale and simmer, uncovered, until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in sausage and cook until just heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Drizzle with remaining tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper.

PORTUGUESE POTATO DUMPLING SOUP

Steps:

• Wash the potatoes and place in a small saucepan. Cover with cold water and 1 teaspoon of the salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Drain.
• Peel potatoes while they are still warm. (Not too hot, or you might burn your hands.) Place the peeled potatoes in a ricer over a small bowl and push through. Alternatively, using the back of a spoon or a rubber spatula, mash the potatoes through the holes in a colander into a bowl set below it. You can mash the potatoes by hand, but the dumplings won't be as fluffy.
• Add the ham, Parmesan, beaten eggs, butter, nutmeg, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt to the mashed potatoes. Mix well to combine.
• Line a small baking sheet with paper towels, and place the flour in a small mixing bowl.
• Roll the potato mixture into little balls, about 2 rounded teaspoonfuls each. Toss each dumpling in the flour, shake off the excess flour and place on the prepared baking sheet. Set aside.
• In a 6-quart soup pot or stockpot, combine the beef broth, chicken broth, water, onion, carrots, parsley and cilantro. Bring to a boil and boil for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and cover to keep warm.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add 1/3 of the potato dumplings to the skillet, leaving enough room to turn them. Brown the dumplings on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes, until golden, and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate or baking sheet. Continue to brown the remaining dumplings, using 2 tablespoons of the oil for each batch.
• Heat the beef-chicken stock over medium-high heat until simmering, Using a ladle, carefully place the dumplings into the simmering stock. Simmer dumplings for 3 to 5 minutes. Serve immediately since the dumplings are fragile.

PORTUGUESE POTATO AND CILANTRO SOUP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, saute the onions and garlic in 3 Tablespoons of oil for 5 minutes, until limp, then add the last Tablespoon of oil and the potatoes and stir-fry for a minute.
• Add the stock, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, until the potatoes are mushy.
• Remove from heat and puree.
• Return the soup to the pot, season with salt and cayenne, and stir in the chopped cilantro.
• You can serve the soup cold--or reheat by slowly bringing it to a simmer.
• Ladle into soup plates and top with a sprinkling of cilantro or chives.

PORTUGUESE POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• Add oil to soup pot and saute onion over low heat, stirring, until tender.
• Add vegetables, except the finely chopped green beans and cabbage, and saute for a few minutes, stirring continuously.
• Add salt to taste and water to cover.
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring and checking water level, for about 20 to 25 minutes.
• Puree soup and add the finely chopped green beans and the cabbage.
• Simmer another 5 to 10 minutes and serve hot.

PORTUGUESE CHOURICO AND KALE SOUP

Steps:

• Heat oil in a deep pot over medium high heat. Add potatoes and onions, cover and cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add garlic, bay leaves, and kale to the pot. Cover pot and wilt greens 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add beans, tomatoes, chourico, and broth to the pot and bring soup to a full boil. Reduce heat back to medium and cook 5 to 10 minutes longer or until potatoes are tender.
• Serve soup with hunks of crusty bread and butter.
• Cook's Note: If you are in Mystic, ask for cherise (phonetic pronunciation), if you want to sample the chourico.

KALE SOUP WITH POTATOES AND SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Place the sausage in a large pot over medium-low heat and cook until it begins to render its fat, about 2 minutes. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes. Add the garlic and potatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Add the kale and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes longer.
• Stir in the chicken broth, vinegar and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Season with pepper. Stir in the tomatoes and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Divide among 4 bowls and serve.

PORTUGUESE KALE AND POTATO SOUP

Steps:

• In a kettle cook the garlic, the onions, and the carrot in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until the vegetables are softened. Add the russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces, the broth, and 4 cups water, bring the liquid to a boil, and simmer the mixture, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. While the potatoes are cooking, in a skillet cook the chorizo over moderate heat, stirring, until it is browned lightly and transfer it with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. With the slotted spoon transfer the cooked potatoes to a blender, add about 1 1/2 cups of the cooking liquid and purée the mixture until it is smooth. Stir the purée into the broth mixture, add the chorizo, the kale, the red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces, and salt and pepper to taste, and simmer the soup, covered, for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.

GRANDMA'S PORTUGUESE SOUP

Steps:

• Place beans in a large pot and cover with water. Soak 8 hours to overnight.
• Drain and rinse beans and return them to the pot. Add ham hocks and onion. Add enough water to cover ham hocks. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until beans are tender, 1 to 2 hours.
• Remove ham hocks from soup and separate the meat from the bones. Return meat to the pot and discard bones. Add sausage, cabbage, potato, and tomato sauce to the pot. Bring to a simmer and cook until cabbage is softened, 30 to 45 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

CALDO VERDE (PORTUGUESE SAUSAGE KALE SOUP)

Steps:

• Slice sausage into 1/4-inch rounds. Heat oil in a pot over medium-high heat. Add sausage and saute until sausage begins to turn brown and renders some fat, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a dish. Reduce heat to medium-low; add onions and pinch of salt salt. Stir and cook until softened, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer potatoes to pot. Sprinkle in 2 teaspoons salt. Pour in chicken broth. Increase heat to high and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until potatoes are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
• When potatoes are tender, carefully mash them in the broth with a potato masher until broken up or completely mashed. Add kale, a handful at a time. Transfer browned sausage to soup. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until greens are tender, about 45 minutes.