Provincetown Portuguese Cookbook

Carne

Partridges Alcântara | Pork with Clams | Minho Style | Pork Chops with Port Wine Sauce | Pork Stuffed with Clams | Baked Smoked Shoulder and Rice | Portuguese Chicken | Empanada de Galinha | Chicken with Peas | Louise's Portuguese Paella | Portuguese Skewers of Beef | Chuck Roast | Chuck Roast Portuguese Style | Alcatra à la Rita | Alcatra à Moda Mariana | Mariana's Portuguese Style Chuck Roast | Feijoada | Cocoila

Dot and Bill Rapoza

My cousin Dot Rapoza and her husband Bill owned and operated George's Restaurant in New Bedford for 20 years. Cocoila was a favorite dish on their menu. With the restaurant closed, cocoila is a dish they now prepare at home for New Year's favorite.

8 lbs. pork blade roast or pork butt

1/2 lb. pork liver, for flavor

3 to 4 onions, diced fine

1 tsp. ground cumin

2 tbsp. minced garlic

2 tbsp. chopped, canned red peppers

3 tbsp. salt

1/2 cup vinegar

1/2 cup sherry

1/4 cup Crisco or lard

Cut the meat into 2-inch cubes and place in a roasting pan. Put the pork liver in a bowl. Sprinkle some of the salt, chopped peppers, cumin and garlic over the meat and some over the pork liver. Add the vinegar and wine over each as well. Put the liver aside.

Rub the Crisco onto the meat and place the meat in a roasting pan on top of the stove. Cover and simmer at low heat. Stir the meat until it turns grey. Simmer for one hour, stirring the meat occasionally.

Add the pork liver and cool. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, reheat over a low flame and cook until the fat melts. Remove the fat until it's just below the top of the meat.

Place the covered roasting pan in a 350° oven and cook for one hour or until the meat is tender. Continue removing the fat and stir the meat gently from time to time.

Serves 6 to 8.