Becoming a healthier human being has been a successful goal that I’ve managed to maintain ever since 2016 turned the page. Nonetheless, I will indulge in tasty and savoury snacks ever so often – like this bowl of nachos. The special thing about it? It’s a potential veggie-friendly, sunday snoozing, sofa-lying sort of munchie you will adore to share with your friends and family. And not to mention, full of Portuguese flavours.
Step 1 – Buy a bag of nachos (low salt, cheese flavour, spicy, whatever you like).
Step 2 – Make a tomato black bean stew.
Ingredients
▪ 1 chopped onion
▪ 2 cloves of chopped garlic
▪ 1 bay leaf
▪ 2 tablespoons of olive oil
▪ 50 grams of chopped chouriço (for the non-veggie fans)
▪ 1 big ripe diced tomato
▪ 1 small can of black beans
▪ ¼ cup water
▪ ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
▪ salt and pepper to taste
▪ chopped coriander
Instructions
Slightly fry the onion, garlic, bay leaf and chouriço in olive oil. When the onion goes soft and transparent, add the diced tomato and let it stew for about 5 minutes. Wash and drain the black beans and add them to the pan.
Add the water and season with the paprika, pepper and salt (go easy on the salt if you choose to use chouriço). Cook on low heat with the lid on for about 20 minutes, then add the chopped coriander.
Step 3 – Get some skinless roast peppers, or just do them yourself.
Step 4 – Choose your cheese. Anything with “amanteigado” written on the lable is a great choice (Queijo da Serra, Queijo Serpa or Queijo Azeitão).
Step 5 – Grab a bowl, add nachos, stewed black beans and roast peppers. Let the cheese out of the fridge before spooning it over your nearly finished serving of nachos.
Step 6 – Add fresh tomato, more coriander and dig in.
By Megan Melling
Megan Melling’s journey into the food world started in 2011 when she decided to enrol in Cookery and Food Production in Estoril. She was born American, but grew up in the Algarve, so she gets the best of two opposite culinary cultures. She has worked as a cook in Lisbon for the past year and is currently in the process of opening up a gourmet project in Lagos. Check out all of her personal recipes on her blog www.melsvittles.wordpress.com and facebook page Mel’s Vittles for some yummy photos and food facts. www.facebook.com/pages/Mels-Vittles/111286668959220
