Acorda Alentejana Recipe: How To Make Portuguese Bread Soup

bread

🥗Healthier: whole grain bread

💰Cheaper: stale bread

Whole grain adds fiber, stale bread reduces waste.

olive oil

🥗Healthier: avocado oil

💰Cheaper: canola oil

Avocado oil is healthier, canola is more affordable.

vinegar

🥗Healthier: apple cider vinegar

💰Cheaper: white vinegar

Apple cider vinegar offers health benefits, white vinegar is cheaper.

chicken stock

🥗Healthier: vegetable stock

💰Cheaper: homemade stock

Vegetable stock is lower in calories, homemade stock can save money.

Cut the inside of the rustic bread into pieces and place in a large bowl. Pour in just enough water and soak the bread. Mix with a spoon until all pieces of bread have water. Let the mixture stand for a few minutes for the bread to absorb the water.

Heat a skillet over medium heat with 3 tablespoons of Portuguese olive oil. Add the shrimp and cook for about 2 or 3 minutes on each side until the shrimp turns from translucent to opaque. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. Set aside.

In another pan, pour in the remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped garlic and cook for about 2 minutes.

Add in the drained bread and mix until all the olive oil is soaked up. You may need to add a little more. Turn down the heat to low and stir. Cook for about 10 minutes until you have a dense porridge-like soup. Add more water if necessary.

Add some salt, pepper and chili flakes to taste. Toss in some chopped coriander or cilantro and mix. Cook for a few more minutes.

Set aside some shrimp to use as garnish before serving. Add the rest of the shrimp to the mixture, stirring continuously. Crack an egg and pour the egg yolk over the hot Portuguese bread soup. The egg yolk will cook slightly but not all the way through.

Serve the açorda alentejana in bowls and garnish with the leftover shrimp.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens