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Ironhorse
Jan 06, 2006, 11:15 AM
And old family favorite! This is really easy and makes a great dish for a cold wintery evening. I've posted the original recipe and then the modifications (*) I've made over the years.

PORTUGUESE FESTA SOUPAS

4-5 lb. roast (chuck just fine, but any roast will do)
Enough water to cover roast
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp whole cloves
1 tsp. whole allspice
1 tsp. whole cumin (*or can use 1 tsp ground cumin)
4 bay leaves
black pepper
1 large onion - chopped (Can be a coarse chop)
1 small clove garlic - crushed (*I use more garlic, depends on how much you like)
1 small bottle sherry wine (*or you can use a red merlot, half of a regular sized bottle)
1 can tomato sauce (*about 16 oz. works great) 4 sprigs fresh mint (*I don't use the mint)
salt to taste
1 loaf "day-old" french bread (or fisherman's wharf type sourdough bread)

Trim all the fat off the meat. Place meat in large stew pot, cover with water. Add sherry wine and tomato sauce. Tie whole spices in cheese cloth or put in tea-ball (*if you have the tea ball, it works best) and place in pot. Add garlic, onion, salt and pepper. Over medium heat, bring to slow simmer, reduce heat and simmer 4 to 5 hours. DO NOT BOIL! Slice french bread and place in large deep bowl. (*My family doesn't like the "soggy" bread, so we just use the bread "on the side" and use it to sop up the broth). Place 2 sprigs of the mint on top of bread. When meat is done (should easily pull apart with a fork, if not, it's either not done, or you boiled it!) place in large bowl and top with remaining mint. Remove spice ball from liquid and pour over the sliced bread, creating a "soup".

You can also serve the soupas over brown or white rice.

(Spices may be adjusted according to personal preferences. Chopped or wedged cabbage is often added during last hour of cooking. [I generally don't make it with the cabbage, only cause my sons don't care for cooked cabbage, I like it with the cabbage though) Any type roast may be used.

CatdaBrat
Jan 06, 2006, 12:58 PM
thanks for the recipe. my family used to attend portuguese celebrations and i grew up on that dish, along with those yummy, salty lupini. i like to add the cabbage. now i'm getting hungry for that stuff.

BGW
Jan 06, 2006, 04:34 PM
Yes, Thank You!!!

Was filling in my 2006 calendar with all the fun dates to remember and noticed that St John's day falls on a Saturday this year. Nothing like a huge 'feed' with all the friends and family you ever grew up knowing to start the summer off right!

Ironhorse
Jan 06, 2006, 04:43 PM
The leftover shredded meat is great to in a sandwich. I just take some french bread, cut a hunk and slice it in half, pile on some meat, throw it in the microwave long enough to heat it through. Don't need to add anything else, but my daughter-in-law likes to melt grated cheddar cheese on it too (but she's not Portuguese, LOL!) http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/rolleyes2.gif

BGW
Jan 06, 2006, 04:54 PM
CHEESE!!!!! no way!! grilled onions and bell peppers maybe....but cheese???? http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/rofl5.gif

Ironhorse
Jan 06, 2006, 05:01 PM
She's from Texas, what else can I say. http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/laugh.gif

BGW
Jan 06, 2006, 05:38 PM
http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/rofl5.gif I have lived there 3 different times.....still say NO WAY to cheese!!!!http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/rofl5.gif

frmmts2sea
Jan 07, 2006, 07:16 AM
Love the portugese festas. I grew up in the central Valley & we alsway went. Now I'm in Santa Cruz & I was amazed to find out it's here also. My husband had never had it so I took him & now he's hooked http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/rofl5.gif

Summer
Jan 07, 2006, 08:30 AM
Was filling in my 2006 calendar with all the fun dates to remember and noticed that St John's day falls on a Saturday this year. Nothing like a huge 'feed' with all the friends and family you ever grew up knowing to start the summer off right!
So what date is it BGW and where is a festival being held? Never heard of it before but sounds interesting. I have no knowledge of Portugese anything. http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/laugh.gif

BGW
Jan 07, 2006, 01:22 PM
The St. John's Day Celebration takes place June 24th each year out in the middle of a corn field (silage) at a church in the middle of no where in a town that isn't really there any but is called Hopeton. It is NE of Snelling off Hwy 59; along the back roads between Merced and Turlock/Oakdale.(it's on Turlock road between Oakdale road and La Grange road)

Way back forever ago the old folks lined up at 5 pm for the first seating/feeding of Soupas and a new round of folks were sat every 30 minutes or so. If you were still hungry...get back in line!! They don't make us eat and run anymore. They do just let folks into the dining area as space is available and you can eat until the Soupas are gone.

As a rule a really good country band would start playing around 9 pm (after the old folks went home). A very typical drinking on the ditch bank corn fed type of event.

Though there is a religous connection to the celebration, it is the place to meet the newest grandbaby. Find out who got married and who died over the winter. It is one of the few days of summer that the farmers and ranchers leave the farm -- young and old unconditionally intermix -- new relationships begin and the old relationships are reaffirmed. It truly is a social event not to missed as far as friends and family and keeping in touch goes.


Anyone and everyone is always welcome and the food and music is always free. Beer, sodas and water are always for sale -- hard liquior is out in the truck or tucked in a flask.

It is a childhood memory that has turned into a yearly tradition for me.


Here's all the history you'll ever need!! http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/lol.gif

History of the Feast (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=St.+John%27s+day&btnG=Google+Search)

PS: I'm one of the old folks now! I try to stay until the band starts but, but but......

frmmts2sea
Jan 07, 2006, 03:20 PM
LOL, I'm 1 of the old folks now & I neve stay to dance. I know exactly where that is, funy huh? http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/applause.gif

BGW
Jan 10, 2006, 08:48 AM
Originally posted by frmmts2sea:
LOL, I'm 1 of the old folks now & I neve stay to dance. I know exactly where that is, funy huh? http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/applause.gif

Did I describe it the way you remember? http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/lol.gif

frmmts2sea
Jan 10, 2006, 12:40 PM
yes you did. How funny, we both know about this & go http://oakhurstonline.com/icon/applause.gif