African Cuisine! Republic of Cape Verde

The cuisine of Cape Verde is a West African cuisine largely infl uenced by Portuguese, Southern and Western European and West African cuisine. Cape Verde was a colony of Portugal from its colonization until 1975. Because the archipelago is inside the Atlantic Ocean, fi sh is very important in Cape Verdean cooking.

Cachupa

Cape Verde-Caldo Verde (Portuguese Kale Soup)

see page 86

Kale Soup

A staple of Cape Verdean culture, cachupa is more than just a national dish. Proudly prepared by locals for the most various occasions, this hearty stew can easily be defined as the Cape Verdean comfort food par excellence. Born as “food for the poor”, Cacupa also has a “food for the rich” version - Capucha Rica. Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs • 1 stick chorizo • 4 boneless pork spare ribs • 1lbs beef stew meat • 1 can of tomatoes • 2 cans red kidney beans • 2 cans yellow hominy • 1 sliced carrot • 2 sweet potatoes • 6 chopped garlic cloves • 1 chopped yellow onion • Olive oil • Red chili powder

Directions:

• Pour 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil into a cooking pot and sauté the onions and garlic. Add the tomatoes, seasonings, and the meat cut in larger dice. • Stir well, then add water to cover all ingredients. • Add the vegetables, as well as the beans and hominy, then give it a stir to mix all ingredients. • Cover and simmer for at least two hours, until the stew reaches the desired consistency. If you like it denser, the cooking time is about three and a half hours. • Serve with slices of sautéed chorizo.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil • 1 medium onion chopped • 2 cloves garlic minced • 8 cups chicken stock or mix of chicken stock and water • 4 medium potatoes peeled and cut into chunks • 1 lb. Linguica Sausage sliced • ½ pound chourico or chorizo crumbled • 4 cups Kale chopped or shredded • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice fresh • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Heat oil in a large soup pot to medium heat. • Add in the onions and garlic, cook until soft but not browned about 5 minutes • Add in the chicken stock or chicken stock and water combination • Add in the potatoes, salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil. • Reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are soft about 20 minutes • Remove the pot from the heat and lightly mash the potatoes with a potato masher. • In another skillet, over medium high heat, cook the sausage, stirring until browned. • Add the meat to the soup pot making sure to include any brown crusty bits. • Simmer for five minutes then stir in the kale, and simmer for a few more minutes • Add the lemon juice • Ladle into bowls and enjoy with some

Portuguese bread.

OCTOPUS STEW (POLVO A MODO ZE DE LINO)

www.internationalcuisine.com/cape-verde-octopus-stew Please make sure to only use the freshest octopus or squid, it should not smell fishy at all. Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs. octopus or squid • 2 bay leaves • 3 tablespoons of oil • 2 to matoes or l tablespoon of tomato paste • 2 cloves of garlic • l onion • 2 hot peppers like habanero or similar seeded and chopped finely. Use as much as you like based on your heat tolerance

Directions:

• Wash and cut octopus into small pieces. • Place octopus in a pot with two bay leaves and 3 tablespoons of oil. • Heat on medium. • Allow octopus to cook for approximately 20 minutes. • Add tomatoes, cloves of garlic, diced onion and hot pepper. • Heat on medium low until stew-like. Stir occasionally.

JAGACIDA (PORTUGUESE RICE)

www.internationalcuisine.com/cape-verde-jagacida Serve this Cape Verde jagacida with some octopus stew and a simple green salad for an authentic and delicious Cape Verde meal.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ cup long grain white rice • 2 ½ cups water • 1 large bay leaf

Jagacida

• 1 lb. Linguica sausage or turkey sausage equivalent • 1 tablespoon tomato paste • 1 cup frozen lima beans • 1 medium onion chopped • 2 cloves garlic minced • ¼ teaspoon white pepper • 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Directions:

• Heat the oil in a sauce pan and fry the sausage, season with salt and pepper • Add the onions and garlic stir until onions are tender but taking care not to burn garlic • Add water, tomato paste, bay leaf, and mix together well. • Add in the lima beans and rice stirring to combine, bring to a boil • Turn down to simmer and cover. Cook 20-30 minutes until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. • Remove the bay leaf and serve.

CAPE VERDE SALAD

A simple salad with a light and refreshing dressing. Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 Romaine lettuce - cleaned well and chopped • 1 Cucumber - cucumbers sliced • 2 Tomatoes -cut to wedges • 1/3 cup white vinegar • 1 cups Olive oil • Salt to taste

Directions:

• Put the lettuce, tomatoes and cucumber in a bowl. • Whisk together the oil and vinegar

GUFONG (FRIED PASTRY)

www.internationalcuisine.com/cape-verde-gufong This is a sweet fried pastry, somewhat like a doughnut, crispy on the outside, doughy on the inside and simply delicious. They are wonderful on their own but can be served with a drizzle of chocolate and powdered sugar. A perfect ending to our Cape Verde meal, enjoy these treats with a cup of coffee or tea for added pleasure. Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water • 1 cup sugar • 1 cup cornmeal • 1 cup flour • Dash of salt • Dash of baking powder • Vegetable oil for frying

Directions:

• In a saucepan combine the water and sugar and bring to a boil. • Once it is boiling add in the cornmeal until it is well mixed then add the flour. • Add a dash of salt and baking powder and continue mixing until everything is well combined.

Gufong

• Let the mixture cool. • Once the mixture is cool, take a small piece of the dough and roll them into small finger sized logs on a floured surface. • Heat up your oil in a frying pan or you can use a deep fryer • Cook until golden brown. • Drain on a paper towel • Serve warm. https://paulinaontheroad.com/traditional-capeverdean-food-cabo-verde-cuisine www.internationalcuisine.com/cape-verde-caldoverde/ Flag: Dreamstime