Açorda à Alentejana

This hearty bread soup is a Portuguese classic that combines thick, crusty slices of rustic bread and a flavorful broth that is infused with garlic, olive oil, and generous amounts of fresh cilantro or mint. Although it occasionally employs meat or sausages, in its basic form the soup is traditionally served topped with a poached egg. Also popular is the seafood version of the dish, which typically employs cod fish and goes under the name of açorda de bacalhau à Alentejana. Like other varieties of açorda, Alentejana was invented as a frugal meal that soon developed into a true Portuguese classic.