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Milho frito
Fried cornmeal cubes with kale
Milho frito: Madeira's crisp fried cornmeal cubes with kale and garlic
Order espetada in any Madeiran restaurant and a basket of these golden cubes comes with it: polenta-style cornmeal cooked with shredded kale and garlic, set in a tray, then cut and fried until crunchy outside and soft and creamy within. They are also cooked at home on Sundays alongside grilled fish. Chef's tip: make the cornmeal the day before, as a well-chilled block cuts cleanly and doesn't fall apart in the oil.
- Total time
- 60 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 4 ¼ cups water
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 3 garlic clovesfinely chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 4 oz kale or Portuguese cabbage (couve)tough stems removed, very finely shredded
- 9 oz fine cornmealor quick polenta
- 4 ¼ cups sunflower oilfor deep-frying
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Bring 4 ¼ cups water, 1 ½ tsp salt, 3 garlic cloves and 2 tbsp olive oil to the boil in a heavy pan. Add 4 oz kale or Portuguese cabbage (couve) and simmer for 5 minutes until tender.
5 minStep 2: Turn the heat to low and pour in 9 oz fine cornmeal in a thin stream, whisking hard to stop lumps forming.
Step 3: Switch to a wooden spoon and cook for 15–20 minutes, stirring often, until very thick and pulling away from the sides of the pan. It will spit, so stand back. A common mistake is stopping too soon: undercooked cornmeal stays soft and breaks up in the fryer.
20 minStep 4: Spread into an oiled 20 × 25 cm tray in an even layer about 2.5 cm thick. Cool, cover and chill for at least 3 hours, or overnight, until completely firm.
180 minStep 5: Turn the block out and cut it into 2.5 cm cubes. Pat dry with kitchen paper.
Step 6: Heat 4 ¼ cups sunflower oil in a deep pan to 350°F. Fry the cubes in batches of 10–12 for 4–5 minutes, turning, until deep golden and crisp. Don't crowd the pan, or they stick together.
15 minStep 7: Drain on kitchen paper, sprinkle with a little salt and serve hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 280 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does milho frito take?
- About 60 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of kale or portuguese cabbage (couve)?
- Savoy or spring greens, same weight.
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