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Chispe com Feijão

Serves 4 to 6 Entree meat

Chispe com Feijão

Chispe com Feijão hails from the lush, green landscapes of Minho, where the kitchen is the heart of the home and olive oil flows freely. This dish is a staple of family tables, especially comforting during cooler months when its savory warmth fills the air. It's a dish that reflects the region's no-nonsense approach to good food — straightforward and generous, much like the people who prepare it.

Expect a rich, hearty stew where pig's trotters lend their depth, beans soften into creamy bites, and chouriço adds a smoky, spiced note. The sweetness of ripe tomatoes and earthiness of carrots meld with fragrant bay leaves and paprika, while fresh coriander and garlic bring it all to life. Salt is added by feel, not measure, ensuring each bite is perfectly seasoned in the way only a practiced hand can achieve.

Ingredients

  • 2pig's trotters — split lengthwise
  • 400 gdried white beans — soaked overnight
  • 1chouriço de carne — sliced
  • 1onion — chopped
  • 5 clovesgarlic — minced
  • 2ripe tomatoes — grated
  • 2carrots — sliced
  • 2bay leaves
  • 1 tspsweet paprika
  • 5 tbspolive oil
  • 3 tbspfresh coriander — chopped
  • to tastecoarse sea salt

Method

  1. Begin by soaking 400 g of dried white beans in plenty of water overnight. This will soften them and reduce cooking time, allowing them to absorb flavors better during cooking.
  2. Season the 2 pig's trotters by rubbing them with 5 cloves of minced garlic, 2 bay leaves, and a generous amount of coarse sea salt. Let them marinate overnight in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to penetrate deeply.
  3. In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the pig's trotters in batches, browning them on all sides until they develop a deep golden color. Remove them from the pot and set aside.
  4. In the same pot, add 1 chopped onion and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil if needed. Cook until the onion is soft and translucent, then add the minced garlic and 1 teaspoon of sweet paprika, stirring off the heat to prevent burning.
  5. Return the pot to the heat and add 1 chouriço de carne, sliced into thick rounds. Stir in 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped, and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot to incorporate all the flavors.
  6. Drain the soaked beans and add them to the pot along with the browned pig's trotters. Pour in enough water to cover the ingredients by about 3 cm, bring to a gentle simmer, and cover the pot.
  7. Cook the dish slowly, maintaining a gentle simmer, until the beans are tender and the meat is soft enough to be pierced easily with a fork. This will take some time, but the meat should almost fall off the bone.
  8. Once the desired tenderness is achieved, skim off any excess fat from the surface of the liquid. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more coarse sea salt if necessary.
  9. Before serving, stir in 3 tablespoons of freshly chopped coriander to add a bright, fresh flavor. Serve the Chispe com Feijão hot, accompanied by crusty bread or boiled potatoes to soak up the rich sauce.
Cover of Authentic Portuguese Cuisine
From the cookbook

Authentic Portuguese Cuisine

This recipe is from Authentic Portuguese Cuisine by Yassine Sbiti — the Portuguese volume in the ComidaTime International Cuisines series.

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