Sopas do Espírito Santo

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large heavy stockpot (at least 8 liters)
• •Kitchen string for tying herbs
• •Wide deep serving bowls or large platter
• •Ladle

Instructions

1. 1

   Build the broth

   In your largest pot, combine the beef, onions, halved garlic head, bay leaves, peppercorns, salt, cinnamon sticks, the tied bunch of mint, and pimenta da terra. Cover with the water. The meat should be submerged. Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce to the gentlest simmer. Skim any foam that rises in the first 15 minutes.

   The mint goes in whole, tied so you can remove it later. It should perfume the broth, not overpower it. The Azorean grandmothers were very clear: too much mint and you've made medicine, not soup.
2. 2

   Simmer low and slow

   Let the soup simmer uncovered for 2.5 to 3 hours. The surface should barely tremble. A few lazy bubbles, nothing more. You're looking for meat that falls apart at the touch of a fork, a broth that's rich and golden, a kitchen that smells of mint and cinnamon and something ancient. Taste the broth after 2 hours and adjust salt. It should be deeply savory with a whisper of sweetness from the cinnamon.

   This is not a dish you rush. The women I watched in São Miguel would start the pot at dawn for an evening festa. The time is part of the recipe.
3. 3

   Prepare the bread

   Remove the mint bundle and cinnamon sticks from the broth. Slice the day-old bread into thick slices, about 2 centimeters. Never fresh bread. Fresh bread dissolves into nothing. Day-old bread drinks the broth and holds its shape. Arrange the bread slices in a single layer in wide, deep bowls or a large serving platter.

4. 4

   Assemble the sopas

   Lift the beef from the broth and slice or shred it into generous pieces. Place the meat on top of the bread. Now comes the moment. Ladle the hot broth generously over everything. The bread should soak through. The meat should swim. Keep ladling until the bread is saturated but not floating. Let it rest for 2 minutes so the bread drinks deeply.

5. 5

   Finish and serve

   Scatter fresh mint leaves over the top. Dust lightly with ground cinnamon. Serve immediately in the bowl, or if you're doing this properly, serve it family-style from one great platter, everyone reaching in together. This is food meant to be shared. At a real festa, the mordomo would be serving this to hundreds. At your table, serve it with the same spirit. No one eats alone.

   In the Azores, they serve this with massa sovada, the sweet bread. If you can find it or make it, use it. If not, good crusty bread works. The bread is the vessel. It carries the blessing.

Chef Tips

• •The broth should be deeply flavored but not salty. You can always add more salt at the table, but you can't take it away. Err on the side of less.
• •Pimenta da terra is the traditional Azorean pepper paste, fermented and earthy. If you can't find it, sweet paprika with a pinch of cayenne comes close, but it's worth seeking out the real thing if you want authenticity.
• •Some Azorean families add a piece of chouriço or morcela to the broth. Others consider this sacrilege. I'm not getting in the middle of that argument.
• •The fresh mint garnish is not optional. It brightens everything and connects the dish to its roots. Dried mint is not the same. Don't try it.

Advance Preparation

• •The broth and meat can be cooked a day ahead and refrigerated. The fat will solidify on top and can be skimmed if you prefer a leaner soup. Reheat gently before serving.
• •The bread should be sliced just before serving. Don't soak it ahead or it will turn to mush.
• •For a festa, the traditional timing is to start the pot 4-5 hours before serving. The soup cannot be rushed, but it also cannot wait forever. Timing matters.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 450g)