There are many ways to cook ‘Cachupa’, Cape Verde’s national dish. In a diverse archipelago such as Cape Verde, ‘Cachupa’ remains the distinct style of food for practical reasons. This version of making Cachupa is called ‘Cachupa Rica’. It uses all of the ingredients available on hand to make a richly flavorful meaty dish. Depending on the island there are various ways to cook this traditional food, with ‘Cachupa Rica’ and ‘Cachupa Pobre’ being the main two. Typically, the difference between Cachupa Rica (Rich) and Pobre (Poor), is that there are meats used in the making of Cachupa Rica.

*Serves 4*
Ingredients:
2 cups hominy
1/2 cup kidney beans
1/2 cup lima beans
1/4 cup shell beans
1/2 lbs. chourico, sliced
l/2 lbs. blood sausage (morcella), sliced
1/4 lb. bacon, sliced
1 lbs. cabbage, chopped
1 lbs. tomatoes, chopped
1 lbs. plantains, peeled and sliced
1 lbs. yams, peeled and chunked
1 lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and chunked
1 lbs. squash, peeled and chunked
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bay leaves
1 tablespoon chopped coriander

Directions:
1) Soak the hominy and beans in a large bowl with water overnight.
2) The next day, in a large sauce pan, heat six cups of water. Add the two tablespoons of olive oil, onion, garlic and bay leaf to the pan.
3) Bring it to a boil and add the hominy and beans.
4) In a separate large saucepan, cook all the vegetables together with the chourico, blood sausage, and bacon.
5) Once done, let it simmer until the hominy and beans are almost tender.
6) Add the cooked vegetables and meats into the large saucepan on top of the hominy and beans. Cook on low heat for approximately one hour.
7) Turn off heat and let sit in the covered pot for at least one half hour.
8) Place on a large platter, cover with the coriander, and serve.