Caldo Verde

THIS Portuguese soup is a first cousin of coddle — but the potatoes are mashed to a rough puree and then the greens and chorizo are added.

This is a meal in itself with a salad and some bread.

Serves 4

1kg (2lb) floury potatoes

1.45 litres (2.5 pints) stock

2 cloves of garlic, skinned and chopped

3 small chorizo sausages, about 260g (9oz) in total

460g (1kg) cabbage or kale

Salt and pepper

Peel the potatoes and cut into small chunks. Heat the stock in a large pot and add the potatoes and garlic. Bring to the boil and simmer until the potatoes are soft, about 15-20 minutes.

Cut the chorizo into 1cm (½ inch) slices and shred the kale into narrow ribbons, removing the tough stalks.

When the potatoes are soft, crush them in the stock with a potato masher or the back of a wooden spoon, to a rough puree.

Add the chorizo slices and the kale to the pot; bring back to the boil and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Taste, add salt and pepper if necessary, and serve.