Portuguese Bread Soup
Few dishes are simultaneously comforting and fancy, nutritious and easy to make. Portuguese Bread Soup hits all the marks. Sure the recipe starts by frying sourdough bread in olive oil—but the rest of it is greens, beans and garlic, and a poached egg.
It is quite filling, and works best as a simple, stand-alone meal. I like to serve it on those rare occasions when friends come over for lunch. It is my go-to dinner for overnight guests arriving late.
I adapted this soup from a recipe found in Taste Magazine. The text below is pulled from Taste almost verbatim, with a few minor edits.
Ingredients
2 C country-style sourdough bread, torn into irregular, 1 inch cubes
3/4 C extra virgin olive oil
1 bunch Swiss Chard (leaves & stems separated, leaves torn, stems chopped)
1/2 white onion, diced
1 bunch cilantro
1 clove garlic
4 C chicken stock (can substitute veg stock)
1 C dried white beans (can substitute canned)
4 free-range eggs
salt & pepper
Instructions
1
If using dried beans: soak beans a minimum of four hours or overnight. Slow boil in stock or water until beans are tender.
2
Heat ¼ cup olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Add the bread and cook, stirring often, taking care not to burn. When bread begins to brown, about 5 minutes, remove from skillet and wipe skillet clean.
3
Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet and warm over medium heat. Add the chard stems and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add chard leaves and cook, stirring occasionally, until both the leaves and stems are tender, another few minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
4
Add the cilantro, garlic and 1/2 cup olive oil, and 1/2 cup of chicken stock to a blender. Puree until smooth and season with salt.
5
Add the stock to a pot over medium heat, along with the chard and drained beans. Meanwhile, bring a shallow pot of water to a boil then reduce to the lowest temperature possible. While using a spoon to create a gentle whirlpool, crack each of the eggs into the water, one at a time. Cook until the whites are set and the yolks are still jiggly, 4 minutes.
6
Add the cilantro puree to the stock, chard and beans and stir. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Divide the bread between four bowls, and do the same with the soup base itself. Top each bowl with a poached egg and serve.