Lent potage – Mediterranean Diet

Updated on March 13, 2017

March 13, 2017
Few dishes are as complete as the “Potaje de Vigilia” (Lent Potage)
Posted by Alberto Roycor Updated on March 13, 2017

Potaje de vigilia or Lent potage

Recipe Type: Entree,

Author: mediterraneandiet.com

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 2 hours 30 mins

Total time: 2 hours 45 mins

Serves: 4

A chickpea stew with spinach and cod, very popular in the season of Lent.

Ingredients

320 grams of chickpeas.
400 grams of spinach.
200 grams of cod.
2 dl olive oil.
300 grams of onion.
100 grams of carrots.
2 cloves of garlic.
1 teaspoon cornstarch.
1 teaspoon paprika and salt.

Instructions

Put the cod to desalt for 24 hours, changing the water at least every 8 hours.
Put the chickpeas to soak overnight.
Rinse water from cod, and skin, bone and crumble it carefully.
Wash the spinach, drain them and chop.
Put a pot on the fire with water and add half the oil, whole garlic cloves, unpeeled and with a small cut, and one of the onions, peeled and halved.
When about to boil, add the chickpeas, cover and let simmer until tender,approximately 2 hours.
Meanwhile, the put a pan on the fire with the remaining oil and when hot, add the two onions and the carrots finely chopped, and cook, stirring, over low heat.
When the onion is soft, add the flour and paprika, stirring well to prevent lumps.
Add a few tablespoons of broth chickpeas, mix well, turn up the heat and sauté stirring with a wooden spoon for 1 minute.
Pour all into the pot of chickpeas, stir and let simmer with the pot uncovered, for about 15 minutes.
Then add the cod and spinach and let cook for about 10 minutes all together.
Put salt to taste and serve hot.
You can accompany it with boiled eggs (optional)

Notes

Spanish physician and researcher, Dr. Francisco Grande Covián, who collaborated with Dr. Ancel keys, father of the Mediterranean diet, said that few dishes are as complete as the ”Potaje de Vigilia”,(Lent Potage), a chickpea stew with spinach and cod, very popular in the season of “Cuaresma” or “Vigilia” (Lent), when Christian have to keep some non meat food observances. Dr. Grande was also a great defender of the vegetables. He said that their high rate of consumption is the secret of longevity in Zamora and Leon (Spain)