Azores-inspired Migas

Any vegetarian been on a trip to Portugal? It can be challenging if you wanna eat like a local and hit the traditional and beloved tascas! Their simple menus are heaving with rustic Portuguese dishes like meat stews, steaks, and fried or grilled fish.  So when we spotted this stir fry of Portuguese kale (the one used in their national pride dish, Caldo Verde), we jumped at ordering a portion. Serve as a side dish at a summer BBQ or as we did, pig out on it as a main.

SERVES 4

1 bunch (roughly 150g) kale, stems removed 
¼ cup olive oil 
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
½ cup fresh breadcrumbs
½ cup hot water
¾ cup cooked black-eyed beans
salt and black pepper 
1T pine nuts, lightly toasted

 

LEFT TO RIGHT: Wilting the Kale; Frying the bread crumbs; combining the ingredients.

Wash and dry the kale. Chop the kale very finely. Tip: Use a very sharp knife! Watch those fingers.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium heat. Throw in the garlic and fry briefly to flavour the oil, ensuring that you don’t burn the garlic. Toss in the breadcrumbs and stir-fry until golden brown. Set aside. Add the kale and the water to the pan and toss until wilted. Season to your liking with salt and pepper. Add the bread crumbs and black-eyed peas and toss to heat through. Sprinkle with the toasted pine nuts.