Caldo Verde (Portuguese Green Soup)

Step 1

Start by cutting the collard greens. Just stack three leaves at a time and roll them like cigars. Cut them crosswise into very thin strips. Proceed with the rest of the leaves until all the collard greens are done. Reserve.

Step 2

In a heavy bottomed pot, add the peeled potatoes, the quartered onion, the minced cloves of garlic, the olive oil and the chicken broth. Bring it to a boil over high heat and then lower the heat to medium low and cook until the potatoes are tender and ready to be mashed (about 20 min).

Step 3

Mash the potatoes and bring them back to the pot.

Step 4

Using a hand blender, blend the soup until smooth. You can also use a regular blender and blend the soup in batches.

Step 5

Add the collard greens, stir, and keep cooking for 15 more minutes.

Step 6

In a large skillet, fry the bacon and the sausage until the bacon is browned.

Step 7

Add the bacon/sausage mixture to the soup and cook until the soup boils again.

Step 8

Season with salt and pepper.

Step 9

Serve hot with extra olive oil.