I am not Portuguese, and I don’t know anything about Portugal, but I had the ingredients for caldo verde (Portuguese sausage, kale, and potato soup), so I made some. It was great. Easy to make, even easier to eat.

4 Tbsp olive oil, halved
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced
2-3 links chorizo, about 6-10 oz. (or authentic Portuguese chouriço if you have it)
1 bunch kale, rinsed and shredded
8 cups cold water
2 tsp salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1. In a large stock pot, cook onions in 2 Tbsp olive oil until fragrant, about two to three minutes. Add garlic and stir. Continue to cook for a further minute or two, then add potatoes. Cook for five minutes, stirring constantly.

2. Pour water into pot and bring to a boil. Add salt, stir, cover, and cook over low heat for an additional 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft.

3. Meanwhile, cook your sausages in a separate pan. I brown them slightly on both sides, then add about 1/2″ water and cook over medium high until the water is cooked off. To be sure they are cooked through, use a meat thermometer if desired. Remove sausages from pan and thinly slice; set aside.

4. Once potatoes are soft, mash them in the pot. You can remove them and purée them in a food processor if you prefer, but I actually like a rougher texture for this soup. I used a standard potato masher to mash all the potatoes to a similar, rough, soupy consistency. Add sausages to pot and cook for another five minutes.

5. Just before serving, add the greens to the pot and allow them to cook for about three to five minutes. Add pepper and more salt, if desired, and ladle into bowls. Drizzle remaining (about 1 tsp per serving) olive oil into each bowl.

Best served with a crusty bread. Serves 6, and can be refrigerated for several days. It also freezes pretty well. Saúde!