Portuguese kale and potato soup (Caldo verde)

1. Peel and dice the potatoes; in a pot, soften the chopped onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil for 5 minutes, add the potatoes, pour in the water, add salt and cook for 20 minutes until the potatoes are completely soft.

2. Meanwhile cut the tough stalks out of the kale leaves, roll the leaves up tightly and slice them into hair-thin strips with a sharp knife – this is the essence of caldo verde.

3. Slice the chouriço thinly and fry it in a dry pan for 2-3 minutes until it releases its fat.

4. Blend the soup completely smooth with a stick blender, then return it to the heat and bring to the boil.

5. Add the kale strips and cook for 3-5 minutes, just until bright green and tender but still with a little bite; season with pepper to taste.

6. Ladle into bowls, add a few slices of chouriço to each and serve drizzled with the remaining olive oil, with cornbread.

Tip: Caldo verde is Portugal's national soup, drunk from clay mugs at the June St John's Eve festivities; to make it meat-free, leave out the chouriço and finish with a little smoked-paprika olive oil instead.