Portugal - Traditional Recipes - Cozido à Portuguesa (Boiled meat, sausages and cabbages)

Portugal is a country worldwide known for its beaches, mild weather, hospitality and good food. As a child I didn't like eating. As I grew older I started appreciating our cooking and after visiting some foreigh countries (not many) I came to the conclusion that our food is delicious. The flavours, scents and warmth that come from a Portuguese kitchen when preparing these dishes invite anyone to try our food.

I will try to give you some recipes of our traditional dishes and invite you to prepare them and savour them. You will not regret it.

Cozido à Portuguesa

Ingredients

• 1 kg beef
• 1 kg pork rib steak
• 1/2 chicken
• 150 grs green beans
• 1 smoked meat sausage (chouriço de carne), 1 blood sausage (chouriço de sangue), 1 pork sausage made of flour and spices (farinheira)
• 2 onions
• 2 carrots
• 2 turnips
• 1 sprig of mint (I never use it because I don’t like it)
• 1 savoy cabbage
• 2 portuguese cabbage, kale
• 6 potatoes
• 125 grs rice

Place the beef, pork, chicken and sausages in boiling water enough to cover all. After boiling again, scoop any foam off the top and allow it to continue to cook at a low boil. Add salt to taste, along with the onions, carrots and turnips.

As each item cooks, remove it from the broth into a separate dish, and cover with a small amount of the broth. When everything has cooked thoroughly, pass the remaining broth through a strainer. Cook the rice in 2.5 to 3 dl of the broth with the mint sprig. Add the beans and cabbages to the remaining broth and allow all to cook.

Place the cabbage into a platter. Slice the beef, pork, chicken and sausages and place on top. Garnish the dish with the remaining vegetables. Place a portion of rice in the middle and top with slices of sausage.