The Potaje de vigilia is a traditional dish of Colombian cuisine, prepared during Holy Week, on Good Friday, as a meatless dish.
It is a cod-based soup with white beans, chickpeas, and spinach.
Hard-boiled eggs are a common accompaniment for Potaje de Vigilia and are added both to decorate and to enhance the dish in terms of flavor and texture.
It is traditional to place the pot (often made of iron) used to prepare the soup in the center of the table so that everyone can serve themselves (and repeat) at their leisure.
Nowadays, it is very common to see a soup tureen instead of the pot.
The term “Potaje” refers to a category of soups, stews, or porridges, in which meat, vegetables, grains, fruit, or a combination of these ingredients are boiled together with water, broth, or other liquids.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Boiling, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Latin American
- Seasonality: Easter
Ingredients
- 9 oz desalted cod
- 9 oz pre-cooked white beans
- 9 oz chickpeas
- 7 oz spinach
- 1 red bell pepper (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 2 tomatoes
- 2 leaves bay leaves
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tbsps olive oil
- 3 hard-boiled eggs
- to taste salt and pepper
Tools
- Pots iron
Steps
If using dried beans, soak them in water for at least 8 hours or overnight, then drain and boil them for about 1-1.5 hours until tender.
If using canned chickpeas, drain and rinse them well.
If not already desalted, desalinate the cod by soaking it for 6-8 hours, changing the water every 2 hours.Then boil it for 10-15 minutes, then flake it with a fork.
In a large pot, preferably iron, heat the oil and add the onion, garlic, red bell pepper (optional), tomatoes, cumin, and paprika.Cook for about 5-7 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
Adding of beans, chickpeas, cod, and potatoes:
Add the beans, chickpeas, flaked cod, bay leaves, and enough water to cover everything (about 3 cups).Bring to a boil and let cook for about 15-20 minutes.
A couple of minutes before finishing cooking, add fresh spinach and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Cut the hard-boiled eggs in half or into quarters and add them to the Potaje de Vigilia as a garnish before serving.
Common Variations:
In some regional variations, other legumes such as lentils or red beans may be added.
Some modern versions of the recipe also include a tomato sauce or vegetable broth instead of water to enrich the flavor.
The use of chickpeas is common in more traditional recipes, along with beans, to make the dish more substantial.
