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Warm up with a homemade Caldo Gallego soup

J Willhaus

Veteran Member
Time of past OR future Camino
2016, 2022, 2023, 2024, planned 2025
It's midwinter and 13F (-10C) this morning is Laramie, WY, USA. I have a hankering for Caldo Gallego or at least the closest I can come given limitations on ingredients. I am using a half pound of soaked white beans, about 1 cup of ham drippings (frozen leftovers poured off a baked ham from a Christmas meal), 4 cups of water, 2 potatoes, and a bundle of fresh collard greens. I am longing for the Camino and I don't know whether this will make it better or worse.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
I have my own DIY Camino taste days too :) In my case it is making membrillo from a quince tree in my garden, homemade patxaran using Welsh sloes, and a tortilla now and again.
 
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@Anniesantiago, your recipe sounds like a yummy version. I have an abundance of ham leftovers in my freezer. We bought a spiral cut ham over the holidays on sale, but 2 people shouldn't eat a half a ham at one sitting. As a result, we're still eating ham! My recipe calls for unto, but ham drippings will have to do.
 
I have several "go to" recipes like that when I am missing the Camino. Poulet Basque and Chipirons are my favorites and fortunately to achieve the correct flavor I always bring back a treasured supply of Piment d'Espelette.
 
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Your menu, and Anniesantiago's recipe - in a most professional presentation - have set me on a quest for the ingredients. Soon. There will not be such a beautiful series of photos though! Shin beef is what I reckon would be an equivalent, but also the ham leftovers would surely be very tasty. Thanks, it is time for a change of soup ideas! And that is a meal in itself...
 
Here is my grandmother's recipe:
As a Galician, I wouldn't call this Caldo gallego. I'm sure it's yummy; I don't have anything against the recipe. But it's not what we call caldo in Galicia. First of all, it's missing the beans. You normally add more than beef to caldo. In fact, many would say you can't make caldo without 'unto' (pork fat) and you don't brown the meat. No fried onion and garlic either.
 
As a Galician, I wouldn't call this Caldo gallego. I'm sure it's yummy; I don't have anything against the recipe. But it's not what we call caldo in Galicia. First of all, it's missing the beans. You normally add more than beef to caldo. In fact, many would say you can't make caldo without 'unto' (pork fat) and you don't brown the meat. No fried onion and garlic either.
I can't buy traditional unto in Laramie and I have not even seen 'fat back or 'salt pork' here and we don't have traditional grelos either. It still turned out pretty tasty although it didn't cure my longing for the Camino.
 
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I have a recipe for Vegan caldo gallego I used on the Camino (all one needs to do is add chorizo, ham, whatever, to make it more authentic). It's available in my vegan cookbook for peregrinos (I believe I have a free e-book version posted somewhere here - if not, check the Vegetarians and Vegans on the Camino Facebook page - I know I have a free ebook there - or PM me and I'll send you one - this goes out to anyone on the forum).

One ingredient I add from your recipe that really makes a difference is smoked paprika - makes it really awesome
 
As a Galician, I wouldn't call this Caldo gallego. I'm sure it's yummy; I don't have anything against the recipe. But it's not what we call caldo in Galicia. First of all, it's missing the beans. You normally add more than beef to caldo. In fact, many would say you can't make caldo without 'unto' (pork fat) and you don't brown the meat. No fried onion and garlic either.
As I said, we don't call it Caldo Gallego but to me it tastes exactly the same.
Maybe you can post a recipe to share with us?
PS: I edited my blog not to say it's exactly the same.
And I don't remember finding beans in my Caldo Gallego every time. Just depends on where you order it along the Camino, I think.
 
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I have a recipe for Vegan caldo gallego I used on the Camino (all one needs to do is add chorizo, ham, whatever, to make it more authentic). It's available in my vegan cookbook for peregrinos (I believe I have a free e-book version posted somewhere here - if not, check the Vegetarians and Vegans on the Camino Facebook page - I know I have a free ebook there - or PM me and I'll send you one - this goes out to anyone on the forum).

One ingredient I add from your recipe that really makes a difference is smoked paprika - makes it really awesome
Thanks James. I downloaded this to my phone for the next time I am a hospitalera and need some go to vegan recipes for pilgrims.
 
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Hmm... no onions in my recipe and no chorizo or turnips. Just beans, unto, grelos, potatoes and water. It came from my Taste of Camino Cookbook. I can see all are different! Maybe like the variety of onions/no onion tortilla recipes.
You are completely right!. I am Galician and eat caldo galego 5 days a week with your recipe, one week with grelos and other with berzas. Because I live in Madrid I can't find unto here and I use instead the pork fat that I find in the super like "punta de jamon" that is ham with skin and "espinazo" (pork rib), a small piece in both cases, and also add some olive oil (virgen extra). I find here grelo and kale, which is not exactly Galician berza but is ok for caldo. What proportion of beans, potatos and vegetable?, the answer is simply what you want. In my case, I use a lot of vegetable because I like very much their taste. About the vegetable leaves, I put off the "big nerves", put them in water and "twist" them with my hands before cooking (one hour more or less at low fire).
 
Hmm... no onions in my recipe and no chorizo or turnips. Just beans, unto, grelos, potatoes and water. It came from my Taste of Camino Cookbook. I can see all are different! Maybe like the variety of onions/no onion tortilla recipes.
No, there's no onions/no onions discussion regarding caldo 😅 Just no onions. And turnips are not something we really eat in Galicia. So you're right. No turnips in caldo either.
 
As I said, we don't call it Caldo Gallego but to me it tastes exactly the same.
Maybe you can post a recipe to share with us?
PS: I edited my blog not to say it's exactly the same.
And I don't remember finding beans in my Caldo Gallego every time. Just depends on where you order it along the Camino, I think.
Here's a recipe.

The proportion of grelos (or other green leaves), potatoes and beans can vary depending on your taste or what's available, but caldo should have at least some beans in it.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
I try to read La Voz de Galica newspaper online every day and they have a regular "cooking" column. Today's recipe was Caldo Galego!
 
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As I said, we don't call it Caldo Gallego but to me it tastes exactly the same.
Maybe you can post a recipe to share with us?
PS: I edited my blog not to say it's exactly the same.
And I don't remember finding beans in my Caldo Gallego every time. Just depends on where you order it along the Camino, I think.
In Portugal, they call this soup Caldo Verde. I love it from restaurants because I hate doing all the fine chopping of the greens myself. 😃
 
In Portugal, they call this soup Caldo Verde. I love it from restaurants because I hate doing all the fine chopping of the greens myself. 😃
One of my grandmothers had this little hand-cranked machine that shredded it. Another one rolled it tight and shredded it so that's what I do. I keep saying someday when I'm in Portugal I"m gonna look for one of those shredders. My son puts linquica in it, but I don't - just beef like my grandmothers did.
 
One of my grandmothers had this little hand-cranked machine that shredded it. Another one rolled it tight and shredded it so that's what I do. I keep saying someday when I'm in Portugal I"m gonna look for one of those shredders. My son puts linquica in it, but I don't - just beef like my grandmothers did.
Was it like this one? Moulinex
AF184EF1-A764-48FB-B48C-F3C6D8A4573B.jpeg
 
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It's midwinter and 13F (-10C) this morning is Laramie, WY, USA. I have a hankering for Caldo Gallego or at least the closest I can come given limitations on ingredients. I am using a half pound of soaked white beans, about 1 cup of ham drippings (frozen leftovers poured off a baked ham from a Christmas meal), 4 cups of water, 2 potatoes, and a bundle of fresh collard greens. I am longing for the Camino and I don't know whether this will make it better or worse.
I love it but my favourite Camino comfort food is Santiago cake with a glass or two of rioja.😊
 
Was it like this one? Moulinex
View attachment 117446
Nope. But we did have that one too! :)
It would probably work fine.
Hers was more like this one, though this isn't it either. I looked on the internet and couldn't find it.
Too bad I was so young and stupid - I would have nabbed it when she passed away.
It probably went into an estate sale. :(
 

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I personally dislike having to store and clean all the many helpful gadgets that are available. I prefer hand chopping all my veggies for the soups and salads I make...I just use a sharp chef's knife and watch my fingers!
Yes, it is hard to store all those gadgets. Phil and I live in a rental property with a very small kitchen. I have simplified so I do hand chiffonade of my greens. I do have an immersion blender for other things, but very few other appliances any more. The Camino has helped me let go of things I seldom used as well as other things. Caldo Gallego is a simple recipe which reminds me that there are many excesses or special ingredients that I don't really need.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
I personally dislike having to store and clean all the many helpful gadgets that are available. I prefer hand chopping all my veggies for the soups and salads I make...I just use a sharp chef's knife and watch my fingers!
Honestly, if you buy or grow the flat kale (not the curly one) it's really easy to stack about 5 leaves, roll them up tightly lenghwise, then just julienne/shred them with a sharp knife. By the time you'd set up one of those gadgets, it'd be done. The only reason my grandmothers used them was because they STAYED set up and were used almost daily. Caldo Verde was on the stove most days - it was that or Portuguese beans (which I also love), linguica, and sweet bread. Oh, I'm having a childhood moment! ::sigh::
 
Honestly, if you buy or grow the flat kale (not the curly one) it's really easy to stack about 5 leaves, roll them up tightly lenghwise, then just julienne/shred them with a sharp knife. By the time you'd set up one of those gadgets, it'd be done. The only reason my grandmothers used them was because they STAYED set up and were used almost daily. Caldo Verde was on the stove most days - it was that or Portuguese beans (which I also love), linguica, and sweet bread. Oh, I'm having a childhood moment! ::sigh::
Yes, if I used it every day (like a coffee maker) it would stay on the counter!!!
 
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@Anniesantiago, your recipe sounds like a yummy version. I have an abundance of ham leftovers in my freezer. We bought a spiral cut ham over the holidays on sale, but 2 people shouldn't eat a half a ham at one sitting. As a result, we're still eating ham! My recipe calls for unto, but ham drippings will have to do.
The definition of eternity...2 people one ham.
 
Could probably make something similar with an old piece of plastic from a milk jug or lid to a container or something.
 
The definition of eternity...2 people one ham.
Just so you know the twelve (now more like 35) days of ham Christmas are still ongoing. Had some ham in my omelet this morning. Ham and beans and cornbread with the ham bone yesterday. Still two or three big hunks of it left. Too much of a good thing.
 
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I have also tried to find recipes to replicate favourite foods found on the Camino. Certainly a trial and error filled experience. Have had success with Sopa de Ajo (San Juan de Ortega) and Caldo Galego (O Cebreiro and Galicia). Bon Apetit.
 
I have book called Taste of the Camino which has pretty good and pretty authentic recipes. My husband bought it from a pilgrim author at the American Pilgrims Gathering a few years ago. He actually gave it to me two Christmas's in a row, because he forgot he had given me one already so we gifted the second to another pilgrim friend of ours.
 
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