Here's How to Brooklynize a Spanish Sausage-And-Egg Soup

, caldo de res, caldo de pollo, caldo gallego—the variations of caldo in cuisines that derive from Spain and Portugal are numerous. We know you were wondering, so we'll tell you: The word caldo comes from the Latin caldus meaning "warm" or "hot." In both Spanish and Portuguese, the word means broth, stock, or soup, and the countless variations comprise some of the best soups coming out of those countries.

In Portugal, the emphasis is on the greens, like kale—hence it's called caldo verde. The traditional soup of Galicia, Spain—caldo gallego—puts a white-bean and pork spin on things. Spain even makes a caldo with chestnuts (caldo de castañas) and a caldo with chickpeas (caldo branco).

But we must say that the world is well overdue for the ultimate of caldos: the Caldo de Brooklyn. And who better to develop the Kings County version of the soup than Jose Garces? The Ecuadorian-American chef is a James Beard Foundation award-winner; he owns and runs a slew of restaurants across the country, from New York to Philadelphia to Chicago. And if that wasn't enough, you should also know that Garces is one of the select few to have earned the title of Iron Chef.

All that is to say that Garces can pretty easily put together a damn good caldo. This version is a variation on a Spanish caldo gallego—Garces worked in Basque country after attending culinary school—but it's not mired in tradition. Brooklyn, after all, deserves a modern caldo of its own—its population is about 20 percent Latino—and this one surely fits the bill.

Garces's new creation for New York's most populous borough includes some classic caldo features—like pork and greens, but each is given a twist. The pork, for example, is Butifarra, a white garlic pork sausage (although any pork sausage would do in a pinch). The greens are a combo of kale and Boston lettuce, adding both a hefty and a light leafy element.

Top your caldo with some dill, thyme, and a poached egg and you'll be saying "Fuhgeddaboudit"—just like the signs here do.