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Cozido de grão
Cozido de grão: Alentejo chickpea stew with pork, chouriço, vegetables and a handful of mint
Inland Alentejo makes its cozido with chickpeas instead of the cabbage-heavy versions of the north: a big pot of chickpeas, pork, chouriço and blood sausage, with potatoes, carrots, green beans and pumpkin all cooked together and finished with fresh mint. It is a winter Sunday lunch, and leftovers become soup the next day. This contains pork (pork belly, chouriço and morcela). Start the chickpeas the night before. A common mistake is adding the vegetables at the start; they go in near the end so they hold their shape. Chef's tip: keep the sausages whole while they simmer, then slice them, so they flavour the broth without falling apart.
- Total time
- 180 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Drain 14 oz dried chickpeas and put them in a large pot with 1 ⅛ lb pork belly, 14 oz pork shoulder, 1 onion, 3 cloves garlic and 2 bay leaves. Cover generously with cold water and bring to the boil, skimming off the grey foam.
15 minStep 2: Cover and simmer gently for 1½ hours, until the chickpeas are nearly tender and the meat is soft. Add 2 tsp salt once the chickpeas are no longer hard in the centre; salting earlier toughens them.
90 minStep 3: Add 1 chouriço or cooking chorizo and 1 morcela or black pudding whole and simmer for 15 minutes.
15 minStep 4: Add 1 ⅓ lb potatoes and 3 carrots and cook for 10 minutes, then 14 oz pumpkin and 7 oz green beans for 12–15 minutes more, until everything is tender and the sausages are hot right through (160°F).
25 minStep 5: Lift out the meats and sausages, slice them and pile them on a warm platter. Stir most of the 1 bunch fresh mint into the pot, keeping a few leaves for the top.
Step 6: Serve the chickpeas, vegetables and broth in deep plates with the meats alongside, scattered with the last of the mint.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 780 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 52 g
- Fat
- 44 g
- Fibre
- 13 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does cozido de grão take?
- About 180 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 150 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of dried chickpeas?
- Cannellini or butter beans, same amount.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
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