This vegetable ragout is very popular on the island of São Nicolau. It is made with local vegetables and is easy to prepare. You can substitute sweet potatoes for the yams, butternut squash for the pumpkin, and vegetable shortening for the lard without significantly altering the desired taste of the dish.
2 large onions
2 tablespoons lard or shortening
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 large firm tomatoes
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon crushed red peppers
1½ pounds potatoes
1½ pounds manioc
1½ pounds yam
1 pound pumpkin
6 green bananas
¼ minced fresh parsley
Slice the onions thinly, and sauté in the lard and vegetable oil until the onions are golden. Process the tomatoes in a processor. Add tomatoes, garlic, and the red peppers to the onions. Peel and cube the potatoes, manioc, yams, and pumpkin, and slice the bananas. Add the vegetables to the onion mixture and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook 20 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.
Serve with rice, alone, or as a side dish with meats.
Serves 4 - 6.
country : Cape Verde
course : vegetable dish
source : Cuisines of Portuguese Encounters / Cherie Y. Hamilton