Moelas Guisadas

Ingredients

• 700 gchicken gizzards — cleaned and trimmed
• 1onion — finely chopped
• 4 clovesgarlic — minced
• 200 mldry white wine
• 3ripe tomatoes — grated
• 1 tspsweet paprika
• 2bay leaves
• 1piri-piri chili
• 5 tbspolive oil
• 3 tbspflat-leaf parsley — chopped
• to tastefine sea salt

Method

1. Start by cleaning the 700 g of chicken gizzards thoroughly under cold running water, removing any yellowish membrane. Cut them into bite-sized pieces, ensuring they are uniform for even cooking. Set them aside in a bowl.
2. Peel and finely chop 1 onion and 4 cloves of garlic. Dice the 3 ripe tomatoes, removing the seeds if desired for a smoother sauce. Chop 3 tbsp of flat-leaf parsley and set aside for garnish later.
3. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat 5 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion and garlic. Sauté until the onion becomes translucent and the garlic is fragrant, taking care not to let them brown.
4. Add the chicken gizzards to the pot, stirring to coat them in the oil and aromatics. Cook for about 5 minutes until the gizzards start to lose their raw pink color and begin to brown slightly.
5. Pour in 200 ml of dry white wine, scraping the bottom of the pot to deglaze any browned bits. Add the diced tomatoes, 1 tsp of sweet paprika, 2 bay leaves, and 1 piri-piri chili. Stir well to combine all the ingredients.
6. Season with fine sea salt to taste, keeping in mind that the flavors will concentrate as the dish cooks. Cover the pot and let it simmer on low heat for about 45 minutes. The gizzards should become tender and the sauce should thicken, with a rich, deep red color.
7. Once the gizzards are tender and the sauce has thickened to your liking, remove the bay leaves and piri-piri chili. Stir in the chopped parsley, allowing its fresh aroma to meld with the dish.
8. Serve the Moelas Guisadas hot, ideally on a small plate, as is traditional in Portuguese petiscos. Enjoy with crusty bread to soak up the flavorful sauce.