How to turn old bread into a classic Portuguese soup

The Guardian

14-05-2025

Today's punchy and bright-green garlic and coriander soup is an intriguing Portuguese way to use up stale bread. The recipe is adapted from the traditional açorda of Alentejo, where it's thought of as the region's signature dish. Açorda is said to have been born from necessity, a waste-saving and resourceful soup that's transformed by olive oil, plentiful herbs and rich egg. I find this take on it particularly interesting because, instead of simmering the coriander, garlic and egg in hot broth, they are instead put in a bowl and the broth is poured over them. This enhances the powerful flavours of the garlic and coriander, and the whole lot is then ladled over stale bread. For a vegetarian version, just omit the fish.
This is a chunky, fragrant and very flavourful soup. A fresh egg is gently cooked by the residual heat of the broth, and thickens the soup along with the bread, giving it a wonderful viscosity.
Although a traditional Portuguese stock for açorda might be made with vegetables or bacalau (salt cod), in the spirit of this column, and because they are delicious and often free (or at least very cheap) from most fishmongers, I've chosen to make my version with cod's head. It's a humble cut, but deeply flavoured and ideal for stocks. Don't get me wrong, this is a delicious soup when it's vegetarian, but any omnivores who do add a cod's head will be rewarded by an extra-savoury, umami-rich and gelatinous fish broth.
Serves 4–6
1kg cod's head, rinsed and gills removed1 bay leaf
Vegetable scraps
5 eggs
Salt and black pepper
100g bunch coriander4 garlic cloves, peeled100ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve200g stale bread (for example, ciabatta, sourdough or pão alentejano), torn into pieces4 pieces of toast, to serve (optional)
For a vegetarian take on this soup, simply omit the fish. Put the cleaned cod's head in a large saucepan with one and a half litres of water, the bay leaf and any vegetable scraps you have to hand. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes, skimming off any foam that rises on the surface. After 25 minutes, drop in four unshelled eggs, cook for five minutes, then lift out the boiled eggs and the cod's head and put to one side. Strain the broth, then return it to the pan. Once the cod is cool enough to handle, pick off any good flakes of meat, add to the strained broth, season to taste and keep warm.
Meanwhile, tear the stale bread into four bowls. Finely chop the coriander from stem to leaf, then put it in a large bowl. Finely chop the four garlic cloves, add to the coriander and pour in the extra-virgin olive oil. Crack in the remaining egg and beat until well combined.
Pour the hot broth into the coriander bowl, stir, then ladle the soup over the torn bread and serve with the boiled eggs and optional toast on the side.