Main Course

Berza Gitana

Name: Berza Gitana
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: spanish
Ingredients: 200 g chickpea dried, soaked overnight; 500 g collard greens stems removed, chopped; 150 g pork belly cubed; 100 g chorizo sliced; 200 g beef shank cubed; 1 pcs yellow onion chopped; 3 clove garlic minced; 1 pcs tomato grated; 1 tsp paprika sweet; 0.5 tsp cumin ground; 1 pcs bay leaf; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1.5 cup water; 1 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp black pepper ground; 2 pcs potato peeled, cubed

Berza Gitana is a hearty and flavorful Spanish stew, traditionally from Andalusia. It combines various meats and legumes with collard greens to create a deeply satisfying and nutritious meal. This recipe offers a balanced version of the classic dish.

An original recipe by Forkin

Total time: 2 hr 30 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Per serving: 694 kcal

Mise en place

Ingredients

200 gchickpea, dried, soaked overnight
500 gcollard greens, stems removed, chopped
150 gpork belly, cubed
100 gchorizo, sliced
200 gbeef shank, cubed
1 pcsyellow onion, chopped
3 clovegarlic, minced
1 pcstomato, grated
1 tsppaprika, sweet
0.5 tspcumin, ground
1 pcsbay leaf
2 tbspolive oil
1.5 cupwater
1 tspsalt
0.5 tspblack pepper, ground
2 pcspotato, peeled, cubed

Equipment

large skillet · large pot · dutch oven · cutting board · knife

The method

Step by step

1
Drain the soaked chickpeas and rinse them thoroughly.
2
In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine the chickpeas, beef shank, pork belly, and bay leaf.
3
Add enough water to cover the ingredients by about 2 inches.
4
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 60 minutes.
About 1 hr
Cook’s note: Skim off any foam that rises to the surface during the first few minutes of simmering.
5
While the meat and chickpeas are simmering, heat the olive oil in a separate large skillet over medium heat.
6
Add the chopped onion to the skillet and sauté until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
About 7 min
7
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: Be careful not to burn the garlic.
8
Add the grated tomato, paprika, and cumin to the skillet.
9
Cook the mixture for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomato has reduced and deepened in color.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: This step creates the 'sofrito' base for the stew.
10
After 60 minutes of simmering the meat, add the collard greens and sliced chorizo to the pot with the chickpeas and meat.
11
Pour the cooked sofrito from the skillet into the large pot.
12
Add the cubed potatoes to the pot and stir everything gently to combine.
13
Season with salt and pepper.
Cook’s note: Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
14
Continue to simmer, covered, for another 45-60 minutes, or until the chickpeas are very tender and the potatoes are cooked through.
About 1 hr
Cook’s note: The stew should be thick and rich, but not dry. Add a little more water if needed during simmering.
15
Remove the bay leaf before serving.
16
Serve hot in deep bowls.

Per serving

Nutrition

22%Score

Calories: 693.8kcal
Protein: 32.7g
Carbs: 38.9g
Fat: 48.1g
Fibre: 11.5g
Sugar: 7.4g

Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.

Keep it good

Storage

Store leftover Berza Gitana in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Reheating

Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally, or in the microwave until warmed through.