The waters off the Cape Verde islands abound with tuna. There is a large tuna-canning factory on the island of Saland you can even purchase 2-pound and 4-pound cans of tuna in supermarkets. Fresh tuna is also very plentiful and much appreciated. This is a popular risotto-like dish from the island of Santiago.
¼ cup olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
2 green peppers, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon crushed red peppers
8 ounces canned tuna or ½ pound fresh tuna cut into small pieces
2 cups rice
4 eggs, hard-boiled (optional)
1 sprig parsley, chopped
Heat the oil in a large pot. Sauté the onion until it is lightly golden. Add the tomatoes, peppers, and the crushed red peppers. Bring to a boil and add the tuna and the oil in the can. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Add 4 cups of water, bring to a boil, and add the rice. Return the liquid to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes or until the rice is cooked. The rice should be moist.
Serve on a deep platter decorated with hard-boiled eggs and sprinkled with parsley.
Serves 6 - 8.
country : Cape Verde
course : rice dish
source : Cuisines of Portuguese Encounters / Cherie Y. Hamilton