A simple, fragrant peasant soup from the Alentejo, where stale bread absorbs a broth of garlic, cilantro, and olive oil. The poached egg adds richness and turns this frugal dish into a complete meal.
Ingredients
- 300 g stale country bread
- 4 pieces fresh eggs
- 4 cloves pink or white garlic
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro
- 60 ml extra-virgin olive oil
- to taste coarse sea salt
- 1200 ml water
Method
- Cut the stale bread into thick chunks and divide it among wide bowls; it should be dry on the surface but still able to soak up liquid.
- Pick the cilantro leaves, reserving the prettiest ones for garnish, then roughly chop the rest until highly fragrant.
- Pound the garlic and coarse salt in a mortar until you have a moist, highly aromatic paste; add the chopped cilantro and continue to pound until the mixture turns green.
- Stir the olive oil into the garlic and cilantro paste until you have a thick, glossy, cohesive sauce.
- Bring the water to a simmer in a saucepan, then lower the heat to maintain calm water, with only small bubbles at the bottom.
- Crack the eggs into the simmering water and poach them until the whites are set and the yolks still feel soft to the touch.
- Pour the boiling cooking water over the garlic, cilantro, and olive oil paste, then stir vigorously; the broth should become cloudy, fragrant, and slightly slick with oil on the surface.
- Ladle this boiling hot broth over the bread and let it soak in until tender in the center while still holding its shape.
- Place the poached eggs in the bowls, garnish with the reserved cilantro leaves, and serve immediately, while the aroma of fresh garlic and olive oil is still bright.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 399 kcal
- Protein
- 12.11 g
- Carbohydrate
- 38.83 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 3.34 g
- Calcium
- 19.83 mg
- Iron
- 1.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 25.95 mg
