Açorda~Food for the Soul

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 Portuguese açorda is true comfort food, it's simple and it warms the soul. It's a combination of garlic,butter, bread, mint, water and eggs. Really quite frugal, as it turns leftover bread into a tasty soup. I have to be honest, I have only come to appreciate this lovely soup, in the last couple of years. One day I just got a craving for it,and made some, I am so glad I did. Every once in a while, I just get the need to make it, usually when I am not feeling well, or feeling a bit blue. Today was one of those days, I am fighting a cold, but much worse struggling with the fact, that Emma's birthday is coming up. Everything has become gloomy once again, and the tears appear from nothing. I just want to crawl away, under a blanket, for the next couple of day's. I know that's not being possible, this warm bowl of açorda was soothing and helped raise my spirits.




Now everyone's mother and grandmother has a version for making Açorda, this is my way of making it.

butter
3-4 slices day old rustic bread ( I like thin slices, and the crust on)
1-2 sprigs of mint
2-3 cloves minced garlic
3 cups water
pinch of sea salt
1 egg


Slice and butter the bread, enough bread to layer and fill a soup bowl, in between the layers, add some mint leaves. Layer till bowl is full, top last slice with more mint.

Next in a small sauce pan, add the water, garlic and pinch of salt, over medium heat bring to a boil.

Once the water is boiling, poach your egg, swirling the water around clockwise will help with shaping the egg. When finished poaching about 2 minutes or to your liking, remove and place egg on top of the bread in the bowl.
Next adjust broth seasoning, and laddle or pour over the bread, right up to the top of the bowl.

Cover the bowl with a plate, and let sit for a couple of minutes, so the bread absorbs some of the broth.

Serve warm, enjoy !


** this can be doubled tripled etc. it may even be prepared in a tureen.
** adjust the mint to your liking, coriander may be used in place of the mint
** use more or less garlic

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