Butelo com cascas

Editorial content from Empório Portugal. Traditional recipes may vary by region, family and cook.

About the recipe

Butelo is a smoked sausage typical of Trás-os-Montes, made with pork meat and fat, which comes to life cooked with cabbage — referred to here as cascas — and potatoes.

It is an economical dish with intense flavour, associated with cold days and a smoked-meat pantry.

As with many Portuguese recipes, there are variations by region, family and cook — some cook the butelo whole, others in slices; the cabbage can be Galician or cabbage hearts.

Ingredients

• 1 whole butelo or thick slices (about 600 g)
• 500 g of kale or Portuguese kale
• 4 medium potatoes
• 1 onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• Olive oil, bay leaves and black pepper
• Water as needed
• Salt sparingly — the sausage is already salty

Method

1. If the butelo is very salty, soak it in cold water for one to two hours, changing the water.
2. Wash and cut the cabbage into thick strips; peel the potatoes into large pieces.
3. In a wide pan, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil; add the butelo and let it brown lightly.
4. Cover with hot water, add bay leaves and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat and cook for 20 minutes before adding potatoes and cabbage.
6. Continue to simmer until the vegetables are tender and the butelo is soft — about 25 minutes.
7. Adjust pepper; taste before salting.
8. Serve in a deep dish, with generous broth on top.

Tips from Empório Portugal

• Unsalting the butelo avoids an excessively salty dish.
• Slow cooking keeps the sausage whole without bursting.
• Cornbread or homemade bread complete the table.

Possible replacements in Brazil

• Chouriço de osso can be used as a substitute in a less traditional version.
• couve-coração reduces cooking time compared to Galician cabbage.

Pairing

A young Trás-os-Montes red wine or a robust table red. For people over 18 years old; drink in moderation.