Description: Based on the wonderful bread soups or acordas of Portugal. Use the best ingredients- plump garlic, fresh coriander, high-quality crusty country bread and, of course, extra-virgin olive oil.
Submitted by: Lady~Culin on 2003-08-24 14:22:12
Serves: 6
Prep Time: About 30 minutes
Difficulty: Intermediate
Ingredients
25g/1oz fresh coriander (cilantro), leaves and stalks chopped serarately1.5 litres/2.5 pints/6 1/4 cups vegetable or chicken stock, or water
5-6 plump garlic cloves, peeled
6 eggs
275g/10oz day-old bread, most of the crust removed and torn into bitesize pieces
salt and ground black pepper
90 ml/ 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
Instructions
Place coriander stalks in a pan. Add stock or water and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 10 minutes.Cool slightly, then process in blender or food processor and sieve back into pan.
Crush garlic with 5ml/1 tsp salt; stir in 120 ml/ 4fl oz/ 1/2 cup hot soup. Return mixture to pan.
Meanwhile, poach eggs separately in a small frying pan of gently simmering water for about 3-4 minutes, until just set.
Using slotted spoon, remove eggs from pan and transfer to a warm plate. Trim off any untidy bits of white.
Return soup to boil and add seasoning. Stir in chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves and remove from heat.
Place bread in six soup plates or bowls and drizzle the oil over. Ladle in soup and stir.
Add a poached egg to each bowl and serve immediately, offering olive oil at the table so that it can be drizzled over soup to taste.