Cape Verdean

Modje

“Cape Verdean lamb or goat stew — slow-cooked with onions, tomatoes, peppers, white wine, and paprika into a rich braise. Served with rice and salad. The Cape Verdean island celebration dish.”

Medium2.5 hours

Where it comes from

Modje (also spelled modjé) is the Cape Verdean braised goat or lamb dish, made for Sunday lunches and celebrations. The Portuguese braising technique combined with island spices.

On the plate

Tear into modje goat — fall-apart tender, in rich tomato-wine-paprika sauce, soft potato chunks. Bite: long-braised goat melts, the Portuguese-paprika-Mediterranean influence balances with island heat. Sunday celebration meal.

How it works

Long braising at low heat tenderizes tough goat. Wine adds acidity. Paprika is the Portuguese signature.

Variations

With lamb. With chicken. Family-recipe variations across islands.

On the Palate

Ingredients

Serves 6

3 + 2 tbsp pasteTomato

How it's made

10 steps · Show ↓

35 min active · 115 min waiting

1
4 min
Cube 1.2 kg goat (or lamb) into 5-cm pieces; season.
2
9 min
Brown in 4 tbsp olive oil 8 min. Remove.
3
11 min
Sauté 2 onions + 6 garlic + 1 bell pepper 10 min.
4
9 min
Add 3 tomatoes + 2 tbsp paste + 1 tbsp paprika + 1 tsp cumin + 1 chopped chili; cook 8 min.
5
5 min
Add 300 ml white wine; simmer 4 min.
6
2 min
Add 500 ml water/stock + 2 bay leaves + 1 sprig rosemary + 1 tsp salt.
7
95 min
Return meat. Simmer covered 90 min until fork-tender.
8
27 min
Add 300 g potatoes (cubed); simmer 25 min more.
9
1 min
Stir in parsley.
10
4 min
Serve with rice or boiled cassava.