Portuguese garlic and cilantro soup (açorda alentejana)

Portuguese Garlic and Cilantro Soup, or Açorda Alentejana, is a cozy dish from the Alentejo region of Portugal. It’s a simple soup made with day-old bread, garlic, olive oil, cilantro, and water.

This recipe makes good use of basic ingredients, turning them into a warm meal.

It’s a lovely example of Portuguese cooking, known for its strong flavors.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups water
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
• 4 thick slices of stale bread
• 4 large eggs (optional)

Instructions:

1. Boil the water in a medium pot.
2. Add garlic, olive oil, and sea salt.
3. Turn the heat down to medium and let it cook for about 5 minutes to get the garlic flavor into the water.
4. Add the chopped cilantro and simmer for another 3 minutes, stirring gently.
5. If you’re using eggs, crack each one into a small bowl and carefully add them to the soup.
6. Poach the eggs for 3-4 minutes until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny.
7. Place a slice of bread in each serving bowl.
8. Pour the hot soup over the bread, and add an egg if you used them.
9. Let the bread soak for a minute before serving.
10. You can drizzle more olive oil on top if you’d like.