Maria Lawton’s Stewed Green Peas with Chourico and Poached Eggs
Guisado de ervilhas frescas com chouriço e ovos escalfados - Stewed green peas with chouriço and poached eggs
An Azorean seasonal staple using fresh peas, green beans, or favas—whichever is abundant in the garden. Maria cautions the cook that fresh peas are easily ruined by overcooking. To judge doneness, she recommends using a spoon to press a single pea against the side of the pot: “if it breaks easily, you’ll know that it’s cooked.”
Equipment
- dutch oven
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 pound chouriço (or linguiça, if preferred) sliced in rounds
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 to 3 teaspoons hot red pepper paste or to taste
- 2 pounds fresh peas shelled
- 3 to 4 cups chicken stock
- Eggs one or two per person
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Handful flat-leaf parsley rough-chopped
Instructions
- Heat a dutch oven over medium heat; cover bottom of pan with olive oil and sauté onion to translucency. Add sausage and continue cooking about 5 minutes.
- Stir in tomato and pepper pastes, and grind in plenty of black pepper. Add peas and cover with stock and stir all together as it comes to a simmer.
- When peas are still a little underdone (start checking in 5 minutes), crack in 1 or 2 eggs per person, season with salt and pepper, and cover the pan, now on lowest heat. When eggs are cooked to the liking of diners, sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately.
- Serve with some fresh crusty bread and a nice glass of wine. (Optional)
Notes
Learn more about Maria Lawton here!
