Couves com Feijões

Delimitation of the geographical area of production: Cabeceiras de Basto, Celorico de Basto, Mondim de Basto and Ribeira da Pena.

Ingredients used: Kale; yellow beans; pig's ear; pork belly; pork horn; flap; meat chorizo; blood sausage; sausage; ham; garlic; olive oil; bay leaf; garlic.

Preparation: The day before, put the pork and veal in salt, garlic and bay leaf. In a saucepan, put the water to boil and then add the seasoned meats and the smoked meat and let it cook. Once cooked, remove the meats and set aside. Still in the boiling water of the meats, the beans (already half cooked) and cabbages are added. Remove from the heat, strain the cabbages well, add garlic and olive oil to taste and serve with the meats.

Product history: Yellow beans, along with kale (and smoked meat), which are the basis of the typical and traditional "cabbages with beans", existed in all agricultural houses that produced regional corn and provided an important protein source, at a time when meat was not very abundant. With the introduction of hybrid corn, yellow beans began to be a rarity. But his demand is that of regional corn for cornbread; to which it is associated in its cultivation; caused an ex-ponential increase in price, encouraging producers to return to production, thus ensuring the continuity of these gastronomic delicacies.

Source: Receitas e Sabores dos Territórios Rurais, MINHA TERRA, 2013

Image source: Minho em festa