"Potaje de Vigilia"- delicious, filling and super healthy!

Here at Jacaranda Spain, you will often hear us extolling the virtues of the famous “Mediterranean diet”. Not a diet as such, but an eating plan, it involves eating; whole ingredients and not processed food, more fresh vegetables and fruit, healthy fats, fresh fish and seafood at least twice a week, less salt and whole grains, nuts and seeds. Red or processed meat and sugary desserts are restricted to occasional treats.

The statistics clearly show the benefits. People from Southern Europe who follow the Mediterranean diet enjoy a longer life expectancy with less risk of; cardio vascular diseases, diabetes, strokes and certain types of cancer. Furthermore, research is showing that it also has a direct impact on gut and brain health.

Here at Jacaranda Spain, we are always on the lookout for new recipes, particularly recipes that follow the Mediterranean diet eating plan. We came across this recipe recently, loved it and wanted to share it with our friends and clients! 

“Potaje de Vigilia”- “Lenten Stew”

This recipe is tradition, faith and family spirit all rolled into one flavourful dish. Lent is the time before Easter week when catholics abstain from eating meat as an act of penance. This “stew of the vigil” was cooked and placed on the family dining table in a big pot with hard boiled egg on the top.

With chickpeas, chard or spinach, tomatoes and fresh white fish included, you know it is going to be healthy, filling and delicious! 

Ingredients

• Garbanzos -2 ½ cups cooked chickpeas (we used pre-cooked from a jar and rinsed them thoroughly)
• Cebolla -1 onion, finely chopped
• Tomates -2 big, good quality tomatoes, grated
• Acelgas o espinacas -A bunch of chard or spinach (both are good but we did prefer the chard)
• Bacalao -4 fillets of cod (any white fish is good for this dish)
• Ajo -2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• Aceite -2 tablespoons olive oil
• Sal -salt to taste (remember less is better)
• Pimentón -2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• Laurel -2 bay leaves.
• Agua -5 cups water

Method

1. 1) Fry the cod filliets in olive oil until golden on both sides and carefully set aside.
2. 2) Add a little more oil to the pan and saute the onions and garlic until soft (careful not to burn the garlic)
3. 3) Make a well in the centre of the pan and add the paprika and fry for a few seconds
4. 4) Add the grated tomato and fry for about 5 mins
5. 5) Add the chickpeas, the water and bay leaves and stir, simmer for 10 minutes
6. 6) Place the cod fillets on the top and simmer with a lid on for 15 mins
7. 7) Add the chard or spinach, replace the lid and allow the leaves to wilt
8. 8) Place the egg on top and serve (optional)

-Another optional ingredient, which is included in many of the recipes, is potatoes. This is a good addition if you want more carbs and it makes the dish go further for large family meals.

Potaje de Vigilia was a great find and it has been added to our go-to list of favourite dishes. Apart from the fresh cod and chard, we had all the staple ingredients, it was so simple to make and so cheap! We accompanied it with a seeded, wholemeal “barra de pan” to dunk in the sauce. !Que ricisimo!