Portugal: Sopa de Coentro

I recently read the book Flatland by Edwin A. Abbott. It's about a being living in a two-dimensional world. One day, he gets a visitor who takes him on a journey to the third-dimension. In the land of taste, I liken cilantro to the third dimension. It takes the flavor of a dish to a completely different level, something that it alone can achieve. This may be a slightly dramatic analogy, but this Potato Cilantro soup is amazing.

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, minced

4 cooking onions, chopped

Olive oil

4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

6 cups chicken stock

.75 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Salt to taste (optional)

Cayenne pepper (optional)

Step 1: Sauté garlic and onions in a large pot with olive oil.

Step 2: Add potatoes (and more olive oil if needed) and sauté for another few minutes. 

Step 3: Add chicken stock and bring to a boil.

Step 4: Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for approximately 50 minutes, or until potatoes are very soft.

Step 5: Transfer to a blender, and blend until smooth. Return to pot.

   OR Use a hand blender, and blend right in the pot.

Step 6: Stir in fresh cilantro. Add salt and cayenne pepper to taste.