Caldo Gallego is a delicious soup crafted from white beans, collard greens, chorizo, ham, cabbage, and potatoes. Its rich flavor embodies an essence of both tastiness and simplicity.
½poundPotatoesBaby potatoes are cut into quarters. If large potatoes, cut into 1" pieces.
1poundWhite CabbageCut into 1" pieces.
1poundKaleDe-stemmed and cut into 1" pieces.
1tablespoonGarlic pasteor three cloves of fresh garlic
Salt and pepper to tasteto taste
Instructions
In a Dutch Oven or Stock Pot, begin by rendering the finely diced bacon.
2 slices Bacon
Once the bacon begins to crisp, add the onions. This will stop/slow the bacon cooking process. Sautee until onions are translucent.
1 cup Onions
Once the onions are translucent, add the large diced ham and lightly brown the ham.
1 cup Ham
Once the ham has cooked for about a minute, add the chorizo and brown.
2 cups Chicken Broth
Add garlic paste and incorporate.
1 tablespoon Garlic paste
Add potatoes. Incorporate with other ingredients. Allow potatoes to cook for about 2 minutes while continuously turning.
½ pound Potatoes
Add beans and incorporate.
1 can White Beans
Add chicken stock. Incorporate all ingredients and allow to cook for a couple of minutes so that all the ingredients and flavors mingle.
2 cups Chicken Broth
Add half the kale and cabbage once the ingredients have cooked for 2 to 3 minutes.
1 pound Kale, 1 pound White Cabbage
Allow the kale and cabbage to cook and soften, then add the other half of each. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until potatoes are soft and tendered.
Notes
Drain and rinse the white beans before adding to the soup.
"Once the bacon begins to crisp, add the onions. This will stop/slow the bacon cooking process." When you add an ingredient to a hot pot, the ingredients and cooking temperature drop. In the case of the onions and the bacon, the onions will change temperature, and add water to the pot. The pot will take at least 2 to 3 minutes to return to the initial temperature.
Have extra chicken broth available if the potatoes and the beans absorb most of the liquid. Starches like potatoes and beans work almost like sponges and tend to absorb liquid, making anything you add them thicker. Refrain from adding water, as it might dilute the soup's flavor.