Açorda

Açordais a traditionalPortuguesedish composed of cubed or sliced stale bread with garlic,coriander, andpoached eggs. It is a type ofbread soup, although some variants have a consistency closer to that of a porridge.
The version served inAlentejo, açorda à Alentejana, is a classic of the region's cuisine.
The primitive Arab açorda,tharîd, can be traced as far as the 5th century in thePre-Islamic Arabia. It is one of the most characteristic dishes of theArab cuisineand its creation is attributed toHāshim ibn ‘Abd Manāf. This açorda would most resemble a meat and pumpkin stew, to whichbreadcrumbswere added.
According toAlan Davidson, tharid was very popular with Mohammed, which caused it to spread wherever Muslims did.With the arrival of Muslims in theIberian Peninsulaat the beginning of the 8th century, the açorda, now known asthurûd, also arrived.There are two known books in whichthurûdis referenced:FuDâlat al-Khiwân fi Tayyibât al-Ta'am wa-l-Alwân(The Highlight of the Tables, in the Delights of Food and Different Dishes), written by Ibn Razîn al-Tujibî; and the anonymous Hispanic-Maghreb Cuisine Treaty.
One of the first designations of the termaçordais found in 16th-century playwrightGil Vicente'sFarsa dos Almocreves: “Tendes uma voz tão gorda/ que parece alifante/ depois de farto de açorda”.(Roughly: You have such a big voice/ that it sounds like an elephant/ after too much bread soup.)
The dish's origins are as apoverty food, intended to prevent waste by using leftover bread, that evolved into a classic of Portuguese and particularly Alentejan cuisine.
The etymology of the term “açorda” goes back to theArabic language. The etymological root,tharada, means "to break bread". The classic form found in Arabic literature istharîdortharîda, with the pluralstharâ’idorthurûd, meaning “crumbed and soaked bread”.
The Portuguese term “açorda” comes, however, from the dialectal form ofAndalusi Arabic, spoken in the Iberian Peninsula,thurda/çurdaorthorda/çorda, the latter the etymological link closest to the current Portuguese term, and to which the article “al” was associated, which, in certain cases it loses its normal consonant sound, and starts to be pronounced like the first letter of the next word, such asaçúcar,as-sukkar, orazeite, fromaz-zayt.Al-thurda, aMoorishpronunciation, evolved into açorda.
The dish is traditionally made withpao Alentejano.
Throughout Portugal there are multiple variants of garlic and cilantro bread soup; the most notable originated inAlentejo, where an açorda, also called açorda Alentejana or açorda à alentejana, has the consistency of a soup and is widely served in homes and restaurants throughout the region.According toTravel Magazine, it is "arguably Alentejo's signature dish".According toPublicoit is an icon of Alentejan cuisine.Açorda à Alentejana was one of the finalist candidates for the7 Wonders of Portuguese Gastronomy[pt].
In other regions of Portugal the bread may be boiled in the broth and the dish may have a consistency similar to that of a porridge.
Other variations may include sausage, shrimp orcodfish;the codfish version is calledaçorda de bacalhau.The version with shrimp is calledaçorda de mariscoand is particularly popular in Lisbon.A version is known inMaccanese cuisine.
The dish is typically assembled from prepared ingredients rather than cooked, although some versions call for cooking the bread, cilantro, and garlic in the broth.
In a typical preparation the eggs are poached in salted water or stock. Garlic, coriander and salt  are mashed into a coarse paste with olive oil and vinegar, and the mixture is poured over the bread. The eggs are placed on the bread and the poaching liquid is poured over. The açorda is typically left tosteepfor a few minutes to soften the bread.
Some recipes call for coating the bread in the garlic-coriander paste, then folding it into the eggs in their poaching liquid.
The final dish usually has a bright green color.