Sopa Alenteejana Recipes

SOPA ALENTEJANA RECIPE - (3/5)

Steps:

• smash the garlic cloves, the salt and the coriander in a mortar. Put the mixture in a deep basin, pour the olive oil and mix. Add the boiling water and throw in the bread, cut into small square chunks. Meanwhile, cook some poached eggs (throw the raw eggs into boiling water with a bit of white vinegar). Finally, add the poached eggs to the basin and mix gently with a spoon. Serve. You can also set aside some bits of chopped raw pepper to accompany the soup.

SOPA DE LENTEJAS (ANDALUCIAN LENTIL SOUP)

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the bacon just until it starts to brown a bit, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the olive oil, onion, and bell pepper; cook and stir until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic, tomatoes, sausage, and bay leaf; cook about 4 minutes. Add lentils and water (water should be about an inch deeper than the level of the lentils). Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, until lentils are just cooked, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Put the potatoes into the soup and continue simmering until potatoes are cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes.

PORTUGUESE PORK ALENTEJANA

Steps:

• In large bowl, combine wine, paprika, salt and pepper, blend well. Add garlic cloves, bay leaf, and cubed meat, turn meat in marinade to coat pieces. Marinate for 6 hours, turning occasionally.
• Drain pork; reserve marinade. Pat cubes completely dry. Discard garlic and bay leaf. Melt 1 teaspoon of oil in large skillet. Add pork cubes, stirring frequently so that the meat colors quickly and evenly. Transfer with slotted spoon to a bowl.
• Pour reserved marinade into skillet and bring to a boil over high heat, scraping off any brown particles clinging to the inside of pan. Boil briskly uncovered until marinade is reduced to 1 cup. Pour over pork and set aside.
• In 6 to 8 quart pan, heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil; add onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently until onion is soft but not brown. Add garlic, tomatoes and crushed red pepper. Simmer, stirring constantly for 5 minutes.
• Spread the clams, hinged side down, over the tomato sauce; cover the pan tightly and cook over medium to high heat for ten minutes or until clams open. Stir in reserved pork and juices. Simmer for 5 minutes to heat thoroughly. Sprinkle with parsley.

ACORDA ALENTEJANA (PORTUGUESE BREAD SOUP)

Steps:

• If the bread isn't already stale, spread the chunks on a baking sheet and dry out in a 250 degree F oven for about an hour.
• Process the garlic, cilantro and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a paste in a food processor (or use a mortar and pestle if you feel like a workout). Spoon into the bottom of a large, heatproof serving bowl or soup tureen.
• Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Poach the eggs in it, one at a time, removing to a plate when the whites have set but the yolks are still runny.
• Pour the still-boiling water (don't worry about any egg bits in it) over the garlic-cilantro paste in the bowl, stir to combine, and add the oil and more salt to taste.
• Add the bread and let soak for 5 minutes. Taste and add more salt if necessary, or more water if it seems too thick; there should be broth to slurp.
• Top the soup with the poached eggs and serve immediately.

ACORDA A ALENTEJANA (BREAD-THICKENED GARLIC-CORIANDER SOUP)

Steps:

• With a large mortar and pestle, pound the coriander, garlic and salt to paste. Spread over the bottom of a shallow 3-quart terra cotta casserole and drizzle with olive oil.
• Pour in the boiling water, add the bread and pepper, toss well and let stand 2 minutes. Taste for salt and add more if needed.
• Slide the poached eggs on top and serve, making sure each person gets an egg.

SOPA ALENTEEJANA

Steps:

• Enriched broth:.
• Place broth, garlic, cilantro, olive oil, and peppercorns in a large heavy pot.
• Bring to a boil, reducing heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
• Strain broth and return it to the pot, keeping warm.
• Sopa:.
• Place garlic, salt, lemon zest in a food processor and pulse on and off until finely chopped.
• Add cilantro and process until just smooth.
• With the machine running, drizzle in 3 tablespoons oil through the feed tube and process until just smooth.
• Scrape the puree into a bowl ans set aside.
• Bring the strained broth to a simmer and eggs one at a time in the broth for 2 minutes.
• Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.
• Poach egg:.
• Crack one egg into a bowl.
• Then give the broth a gentle stir and while the broth is whirling slide the egg into the center of the broth whirl.
• Repeat for each egg.
• Re-strain broth if desired and simmer until heated through.
• To serve, place 2 tablespoons of the cilantro puree in the bottom of each of 6 shallow bowls.
• Lay a slice of toasted corn bread on top of each puree.
• Top each slice of bread with a poached egg and ladle the hot broth over the eggs.
• Garnish with the 3 tablespoons of chopped cilantro and drizzle each serving with a little of the olive oil.
• Serve immediately.