Caldeirada de Grão e Espinafres

Ingredients

• 400 gcooked chickpeas — drained
• 500 gspinach — washed
• 800 gpotatoes — sliced into rounds
• 2onions — sliced
• 6 clovesgarlic — sliced
• 3ripe tomatoes — sliced
• 1green pepper — sliced
• 1 tbspsweet paprika
• 2bay leaves
• 120 mlolive oil
• 4eggs — poached on top
• to tastecoarse sea salt

Method

1. Peel and slice the 2 onions into thin half-moons. Mince the 6 cloves of garlic finely. Dice the 3 ripe tomatoes and cut the green pepper into thin strips. Peel and cut the 800 g of potatoes into thick slices, about 1 cm thick. Rinse and drain the 400 g of cooked chickpeas. Wash the 500 g of spinach thoroughly and set aside. Crack the 4 eggs into a bowl, being careful not to break the yolks, and set aside.
2. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, pour in the 120 ml of olive oil and heat it over low heat. Add the sliced onions and minced garlic. Cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent and the garlic is fragrant but not browned. This should take on a sweet aroma and a soft texture, signaling that the base is ready.
3. Add the diced tomatoes, green pepper strips, and 1 tablespoon of sweet paprika to the pot. Stir well to coat the vegetables in the oil and spices. Allow them to cook slowly until the tomatoes break down into a thick sauce and the peppers are tender, which will enhance the depth of flavor in the dish.
4. Layer the sliced potatoes over the vegetable mixture in the pot. Add the 2 bay leaves and a generous pinch of coarse sea salt. Pour in enough water to just cover the potatoes. Cover the pot with a lid and let it simmer on low heat until the potatoes are tender and can be easily pierced with a fork, but not falling apart.
5. Once the potatoes are tender, gently stir in the cooked chickpeas and the washed spinach. Allow the spinach to wilt and the chickpeas to warm through, stirring occasionally. The spinach should turn a vibrant green and the chickpeas should be evenly heated.
6. Create small wells in the mixture with a spoon and carefully slide an egg into each well. Cover the pot again and let the eggs poach in the steam until the whites are set and the yolks are still runny, which will add a rich creaminess to the dish.
7. Taste the caldeirada and adjust the seasoning with more coarse sea salt if needed. Remove the bay leaves before serving. Bring the dish to the table warm, accompanied by good bread to soak up the flavorful broth.