A rarity here but ubiquitous in Portugal is caldo verde, or green soup. This simple recipe featuring thinly sliced cabbage is included in “A Portuguese Kitchen” by Wanda Adams (Mutual Publishing). The book is out of print.

CALDO VERDE (GREEN SOUP)

From “A Portuguese Kitchen” by Wanda Adams

• 4 cups chicken broth (roughly 2 cans)
• 4 cups water
• 4 to 5 large baking potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and mashed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 bunches collard greens, or 12 to 15 large Portuguese cabbage leaves
• 8- to 10-ounce Portuguese sausage, chopped into small bits

In large pot, bring broth and water to a boil. Add potatoes, onion, garlic and salt. Lower heat to medium and simmer until potatoes are fall-apart soft. Remove from heat and carefully mash potatoes in broth until smooth.

While soup is heating, wash collards or cabbage, stack leaves, roll them into a cigar shape and julienne very thinly. Just before serving, bring soup to a boil, add greens and sausage and simmer 5 minutes, until greens are bright and soup is heated through. Serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.

Variations:

>> Watercress potato-pea soup: Make caldo verde with these changes: Add 1/2 cup dried split peas to boiling broth along with potatoes, onions, garlic and salt.

Instead of collards, wash 1 bunch watercress, chopped into 1-inch length, separating leaves from stems. Place stems in boiling soup and simmer 10 minutes.

Add leaves just prior to serving and heat until just wilted. Serve immediately.

>> Pumpkin potato soup: Instead of collards, add pumpkin chunks, such as kabocha, to the potato soup. To cut a small kabocha, soften first: Stab whole kabocha in a couple places, then microwave on high 7-10 minutes (stabbing allows steam to release).

Remove from microwave using oven mitts. Cool, then cut in half and scoop out seeds and strings. Slice into quarters; cut flesh away from skin and into bite-size chunks.

After potatoes are mashed, add pumpkin and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until pumpkin is soft. Serve immediately.

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Nutritional information unavailable.