Cachupa

Stacy ate plenty of this in Cape Verde, West Africa. We made it a few times and it's very hearty and very tasty. Samp is a variety of dried corn they use in Africa and is not easily found in most places in the U.S. I looked up substitutes and hominy seems to be close. We've been fortunate to have the samp on the few occasions we've made it. --Mark

Ingredients:

8 quarts boiling water, salted

2 lb samp

1 lb dry beans

3-4 lb meat (beef shank, spare rib, ham hocks, salt pork, etc.)

2-3 onions, sliced

2 T lard or other fat

Instructions:

Soak beans and samp overnight. Place meat in water and bring to a boil. Lower heat. Place samp and beans in a colander and wash. Cook samp and beans in a separate kettle. Cook until tender. Add meats toward the end of the cooking process.

As foam appears on the surface of the water, skim it away. Place fat in a frying pan and saute sliced onions until golden. Add to meat and beans. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes:

Greens such as kale or collards can be added at the end of the cooking process.