Caldo Verde

Dice the paio sausage into small cubes. Slice the Spanish chorizo thinly. Reserve a small portion of the chorizo for finishing.

Finely chop the white onions and garlic cloves.

Remove the tough stems from the kale leaves. Roll the leaves tightly and slice them into very thin ribbons. Reserve the chopped stems separately.

Peel the potatoes and cut them into small cubes.

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced paio and sliced chorizo (reserving some for garnish). Cook slowly until the sausages render their fat and begin to brown.

Add the chopped white onions, bay leaves, chopped garlic, and reserved kale stems to the pot. Season with a pinch of salt. Stir well and cook until the onions are golden brown, about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the cubed potatoes to the pot. Sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring to coat them with the rendered fat and aromatics.

Pour in the boiling water (or chicken broth). Increase the heat to high, cover the pot, and let it simmer for approximately 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender.

While the soup simmers, heat a little olive oil in a separate frying pan. Fry the reserved chorizo slices until golden and crisp. Remove and set aside. In the same pan, fry pieces of bread in the chorizo fat until golden brown. Remove and set aside.

After 20 minutes of simmering, carefully remove a ladleful of cooked potatoes and set aside for garnish. Remove and discard the bay leaves from the pot.

Adjust the salt in the soup. Add half of the thinly sliced kale (reserving the other half for finishing). Stir and cook for 2 minutes. Carefully transfer the soup to a blender and process until smooth and creamy. Return the blended soup to the pot over low heat. If the soup is too thick, add a little more water to reach desired consistency.

Stir in the reserved kale and the reserved cooked potatoes. Season with black pepper to taste. Turn off the heat.

Ladle the hot Caldo Verde into bowls. Garnish each serving with the reserved crispy chorizo, fried bread pieces, and a drizzle of olive oil.