Ringing in the New Year with Cape Verde

Happy New Year! My first recipe of 2010 came from Cape Verde, a cluster of ten volcanic islands off the coast of West Africa that was discovered and colonized by the Portuguese.

Ted and I enjoyed a wonderful four-course dinner at Persimmon in Bristol, Rhode Island on New Year's Eve. As a result, at 8pm on New Year's Day we were still feeling fat and happy from our First Night meal. So instead of going for Cachupa, a heavy bean stew that is the national dish of Cape Verde, I made something called Cachupinha, which claimed to be it's lighter cousin. It turned out to be the perfect one-dish meal to nibble on once our tummies finally started rumbling that night.

To make Cachupinha, I heated olive oil in a heavy pan and sauteed sliced onions and linguica (clearly part of the Portuguese influence on Cape Verdean food). After about 7 minutes, when the onions were soft, I added sliced squash, tomatoes, butter beans, and about a cup and half of corn. As the recipe suggested, I added enough water to cover the stew and placed a lid on top to let it simmer until the water was absorbed. About thirty minutes later the beans and vegetables were tender, but the water remained. So I ended up draining it in the sink, and then sprinkling the dish with chopped cilantro and salt and pepper.

The concept of the dish reminded me a little of succotash. The flavor was great, and I loved the contrast of the spicy sausage with the sweet corn and squash. This would make an excellent addition to a summer cook-out, particularly with the fresh cilantro.

Ted gulped down the enormous, meaty butter beans without so much as a flinch - I think I've turned him into a bean lover after all! We scored the recipe a 3.5.