Sopa Alentejana Recipe 35

Steps:

• smash the garlic cloves, the salt and the coriander in a mortar. Put the mixture in a deep basin, pour the olive oil and mix. Add the boiling water and throw in the bread, cut into small square chunks. Meanwhile, cook some poached eggs (throw the raw eggs into boiling water with a bit of white vinegar). Finally, add the poached eggs to the basin and mix gently with a spoon. Serve. You can also set aside some bits of chopped raw pepper to accompany the soup.

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the bacon just until it starts to brown a bit, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the olive oil, onion, and bell pepper; cook and stir until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the garlic, tomatoes, sausage, and bay leaf; cook about 4 minutes. Add lentils and water (water should be about an inch deeper than the level of the lentils). Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, until lentils are just cooked, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Put the potatoes into the soup and continue simmering until potatoes are cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes.

Steps:

• If the bread isn't already stale, spread the chunks on a baking sheet and dry out in a 250 degree F oven for about an hour.
• Process the garlic, cilantro and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a paste in a food processor (or use a mortar and pestle if you feel like a workout). Spoon into the bottom of a large, heatproof serving bowl or soup tureen.
• Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Poach the eggs in it, one at a time, removing to a plate when the whites have set but the yolks are still runny.
• Pour the still-boiling water (don't worry about any egg bits in it) over the garlic-cilantro paste in the bowl, stir to combine, and add the oil and more salt to taste.
• Add the bread and let soak for 5 minutes. Taste and add more salt if necessary, or more water if it seems too thick; there should be broth to slurp.
• Top the soup with the poached eggs and serve immediately.

Steps:

• For marinade, combine wine, paprika, garlic, bay leaves, 1 tsp salt, and dash of pepper. Add pork. Cover; marinate 2 hours or overnight in refrigerator, stirring occasionally.
• Drain port, reserving marinade. Pat meat dry. In skillet brown pork in half of the hot oil. Add reserved marinade. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered about 45 minutes or till liquid is almost evaporated. Skim off fat and remove bay leaves.
• Meanwhile, cook onions and pimentos in the remaining hot oil until the onion is tender. Add the clams, the 1/2 tsp salt, and the 1/4 tsp of pepper. Cover and cook 5 to 7 minutes or till shells open (discard any that do not open).
• Add pork mixture to the clam mixture; heat through.