Portuguese Bread Soup (Acorda)

1 bunch cilantro

4 large cloves garlic

2 teaspoons sea salt, plus more as needed

¼ cup olive oil

8 ounces slender summer squash or zucchini, cut into thin rounds

1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced

4 to 5 cups no-salt-added, light-colored vegetable or chicken broth, preferably homemade

8 ounces day-old or stale bread from a country-style French or Italian loaf, torn into bite-size pieces

4 small garlic scapes, cut on the diagonal into ¼-inch pieces

4 small or medium eggs

Separate the cilantro leaves from their stems; you should have about 1½ cups, loosely packed. Finely chop the leaves and transfer to a medium bowl. Finely chop the stems and place in a separate bowl.

Combine the garlic and a pinch of salt in a mortar and pestle; reduce them to a paste, then add to the bowl of chopped cilantro leaves.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a heavy saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat for a few minutes, then add the squash or zucchini, the onion, cilantro stems and ½ teaspoon of salt; stir to incorporate, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add 4 cups of broth and the remaining 1½ teaspoons of salt; once the mixture is bubbling at the edges, stir in the bread. Reduce the heat to medium-low, partially cover and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bread has absorbed most of the liquid, creating a porridgelike consistency. The vegetables should be soft.

If the bread is still holding its shape after 10 minutes yet has absorbed all the liquid, add some or all of the remaining cup of broth. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally; very stale bread can take 15 to 20 minutes to achieve the desired texture.

Once the soup becomes thick and creamy, add the scapes, cook for 1 minute, then quickly add the garlic-cilantro mixture and the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Taste, and add salt as needed. Ladle the hot soup into individual, warmed bowls, crack an egg into each and stir in thoroughly. Serve right away.

4 servings

Per serving: 380 calories, 13 g protein, 43 g carbohydrates, 18 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 140 mg cholesterol, 1,450 mg sodium, 3 g dietary fiber, 9 g sugar

Note: This summery version of the traditional dish cooks bread and squash in broth until their consistency is porridgelike. Just before serving, a raw egg is stirred into each portion, which makes the soup creamy. If you prefer, you could garnish each serving with a poached egg instead.

Emily C. Horton, The Washington Post