Caldo Verde Jon’s Style

Ingredients

• – 6 potatoes – any kind. If they’re russets or thick-skinned

  then peel them. Otherwise dice ‘em around ½” to ¾” cubes
  4 unit
• – 5 links of chourico or linguica. Chourico is spicier. Pick one or mix if you want. Slice

  dice, or peel the casing and crumble to your taste.
  2 unit
• – 2 medium onions. Or 1 large one. Any onion is fine

  but I use Spanish for this. I dice ‘em rough-cut or about ½” cut. They’re gonna slow cook anyway, and this way they’ll be visible in the stew.
  1 unit
• – 2 bunches of kale or Portuguese cabbage. Well anything ‘green’ will work (‘Caldo Verde’ means green broth in Portuguese)

  but the flavor changes with different greens. I tend to use Kale as it’s cheap, it’s easy to find, and it’s soo good. Heck, you could use spinach if you want (that actually sounds kinda good . . . hmm). Anyway, remember the plant looks big and fluffy until it wilts (and thank you, please no comparisons necessary here).
  1 unit
• ~2 – 3 cups of chicken broth. I use bullion cubes right now (until I use ‘em up)

  so I make the broth a bit weak by about ¼ with water. That excess moisture steams off anyway, and then the stew isn’t overpowered by chicken flavor. Also, the more liquid you use, the thinner the end result (this can be broth-like to stew-like as you see fit).
  1 unit
• ~1 – 2 Table spoons of minced garlic. Anyone sane uses those jars of pre-diced stuff anyway (mmmm

  I love the smell of a freshly opened jar). You wanna cut it up yourself? Have fun . . .
  1 unit
• Other veggies – I put peppers and zucchini into the last one. Some folks put chickpeas or fava beans or kidney beans in here. Celery can be added. Whatever you got in the crisper

  but not too much of it. Let the top four ingredients control the stew.
  1 unit
• Salt and pepper to taste. I use roughly 2X the pepper they ask for in most recipes.
  1 unit
• Goya makes a Portuguese seasoning packet that says ‘Con Azzafron’ (which means ‘with saffron’). It’s an orange box with yellow and green stripes. I got it from the Portuguese/American store in West Warwick

  RI. (This spice isn’t necessary, but it ADDS A LOT of taste for any Portuguese recipe. The seasonings in the meat itself do the same to a lesser degree.)
  1 unit