The Alentejo's spring asparagus-and-bread side. Stale country bread cubed and fried with garlic, olive oil and asparagus until the bread soaks up the oil. Eaten warm with roast lamb.
Soft, oil-glossed bread cubes infused with the clean sweetness of spring asparagus, the bread having soaked up the garlic oil, the asparagus still bright and crisp-tender. Eaten warm with roast lamb.
The dish works by the bread soaking up the garlic oil and vegetable juices. Stale country bread is cut into cubes (not too small, they should hold their shape). Garlic is fried gently in plenty of olive oil, asparagus tips and stems added and cooked until just tender, then the bread cubes go in and everything is tossed until the bread drinks up the oil and the asparagus moisture, softening but not disintegrating. Coriander finishes it. The bread must be dense and day-old; fresh bread turns to paste.
Variations
Green bean or kale 米加斯 replace the asparagus. Some add a few whole garlic cloves for sweetness.
On the Palate
Where Migas de Espargos sits in the Portuguese flavor cloud
Ingredients
Serves 4How it's made
5 steps · 15 min
- 14 min
Trim 400g green asparagus and cut into 4cm pieces; cut 200g day-old country bread into 2cm cubes.
- 24 min
Heat 5 tbsp olive oil in a wide pan with 5 sliced garlic cloves; fry gently 2 minutes until fragrant.
- 35 min
Add the asparagus and cook 4 minutes until just tender.
- 45 min
Add the bread cubes and toss over moderate heat for 5 minutes until the bread soaks up the oil and softens, the asparagus still bright.
Watch outToss until the bread drinks up the oil and just softens — day-old bread holds its shape here; push it too far and it slumps to paste.
- 53 min
Season with salt, scatter chopped coriander, and serve warm.
