Olá! This is the day when an embroidery blog became a food blog... Are you prepared for the change?
I'm introducing you to caldo verde, a Portuguese traditional dish that has its origins in the northern region of Portugal, Minho, but for a long time was adopted all over the country. Caldo verde is a simple, light dish, that may be served on its own or as part of a larger meal. Usually this soup is served with chouriço (pork sausage) and broa - a cornbread leavened with yeast.
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| Photo from "Up Magazine" |
Caldo Verde means celebration!! When we, Portuguese people, think of this dish, we remember family gatherings, popular festivities, a late evening meal in a wedding... Because caldo verde is really a very common dish all around the country... From the humblest country home to the most fancy and luxurious table!!
As I'm not a good cook, I took the recipe from this site... And you can follow a video here...
- Make a light broth with potatoes, as light as possible.
- Take dark green cabbage, or kale--in Portugal called couve galega--roll the leaves tightly and sliced them as thinly as possible. Scald briefly so they are brilliant green. The cabbage should be abundant to give body to the broth.
- When ready to serve, add the scalded cabbage to the broth with a little olive oil and let it boil for about 5 minutes, so the olive oil can cook.
- Serve with slices of the smallest Portuguese pork sausage (chouriço) you can find--each region in Portugal has its own, most of them spiced with paprika (colorau)
Never forget to cut the kale into extremely fine slices - that's one of the secrets... Here in Portugal we can buy it already cut!!! Many cooks add onions and garlic as in my photo...
In Portugal we say porque os olhos também comem... This means: "as we also eat with our eyes"... So caldo verde is usually served in beautiful terra cotta dishes...
I found this pattern - actually it is not a cross stitch pattern, I had to adapt it - in a very beautiful book that I've already talked about in another post... And this was my first choice of this marvelous book. The idea of cross stitching caldo verde was a pleasure and wherever I went with this work in hands, I always received many "UAU"!!!
- Make a light broth with potatoes, as light as possible.
- Take dark green cabbage, or kale--in Portugal called couve galega--roll the leaves tightly and sliced them as thinly as possible. Scald briefly so they are brilliant green. The cabbage should be abundant to give body to the broth.
- When ready to serve, add the scalded cabbage to the broth with a little olive oil and let it boil for about 5 minutes, so the olive oil can cook.
- Serve with slices of the smallest Portuguese pork sausage (chouriço) you can find--each region in Portugal has its own, most of them spiced with paprika (colorau)
Never forget to cut the kale into extremely fine slices - that's one of the secrets... Here in Portugal we can buy it already cut!!! Many cooks add onions and garlic as in my photo...
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| All you need to make Caldo Verde - only missing olive oil and water!! |
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| A beautiful book with great motifs inspired by traditions from Minho |
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| Done!!! The pattern and the finished work... |
Portuguese people do love caldo verde!!
