Linguica

Being Portuguese, I grew up eating Linguica, which is Portuguese Sausage.  And although we're not huge meat eaters in our house, we do love it.  And you know how you can get into a recipe rut sometimes, making the same things over and over?  Well, I thought you'd like to learn about something different that can spice up your meals a bit!

Some Linguica is spicy, but I prefer to use the standard non-spicy sort so the boys aren't breathing flames.

A traditional dish my Uncle makes is a thick sort of stew with chicken pieces, diced canned tomatoes, Linguica and black olives.  It's tasty and always reminds me of him and my trips to San Francisco to visit.

I tend to use Linguica in really simple ways, and whenever I do, the boys are excited to eat it.  It's really tasty.

Here are my favorites:

When making spaghetti, sometimes I substitute Linguica for the ground beef.  When I substitute it, I don't add any salt to the sauce, as the Linguica has plenty and it flavors the sauce really well.  I call it Linguica Spaghetti.  Whooo! Creative right?

An incredibly simple and delicious dinner is Angel Hair Pasta with Linguica.  After cooking the pasta, I toss it with a little butter and sprinkle in small fried chunks of the Linguica.  Add a green salad on the side, and it's a super quick and easy meal.

Linguica and eggs.  Scramble up some eggs, add in fried Linguica, serve it to your husband, and he'll fall in love with you all over again.

Notes:

Linguica is readily available in most grocery stores.  If you have a hard time finding it, ask your butcher and he'll probably be able to point it out for you.

I usually slice Linguica into little rounds (as seen above) and then in half again, so the sausage is more of an accent than the only flavor in a bite.

I like to fry up the Linguica before using it, making the edges crispy and browned, which is much more appetizing to me than a pale piece of sausage.

I hope you'll give it a try.

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Comments

[Lolo]

Silva makes THE best linguica! We BBQ it as an appetizer and dip it in mustard :) Also, its an ingredient in my chili beans!
Linguica and eggs is big around here....its on all the breakfast menus at the restaurants.
Also, Silva has the yummiest Hot Italian sausage around - I put it in everything - definitely spaghetti, but also I add it to my ground beef for hamburgers, and to homeade stuffing :)
YUM!

[The Nifty Nest]

YUM! Gonna have to try it...but with spicy. We like a little heat around here. :) Thanks for the recipe!

Liz

[Kitschy Lisa]

Yummo! We aren't big meat eaters, either, but this sounds delish and may very well trump the turky polsa kielbasa we normally use in similar ways. Thanks for the tip!

[Mandie]

My sister is part Portuguese. I remember growing up she would dunk her bread in anything she was drinking, lol. She would dunk it is milk, coke, it didn't matter. Her dad would just laugh and say she came by it naturally. All of those ideas sound very yummy!

[Joy Fishley]

another great dish with Linguia..fry and dice..in another big pan stir fry bunch of fresh mushrooms, tomatos (or use canned diced/cilentro with juice)fresh garlic,broccoli and or spinich..re add the meat and walla! For left over mix add a pasta noodle you like..Angel hair or twisted noodle with fresh cheese ..

[Prudence]

My husband is portugese too! Whenever we go visit his family in Hawaii we get to have this! I love it. I had no idea I could get it. I'll look for it now.

[Junebug]

Nothing better than Linguia sliced thinly on Pizza. Better than Pepperoni any day!

[Jill]

Love the heat! And that sounds soooo good!

[the domestic fringe]

I love this too! Didn't realize your were Portuguese. I am too. Well, 1/2. My dad actually lives in Portugal.
-FringeGirl

[Lindsey Costa]

So cool! My husband is half Portuguese and he grew up on homemade Linguica and blood sausage. I love The Portuguese food his aunts ad uncles always make!

[Emily]

Here in Hawaii there is a very large Portuguese community which started when the Portuguese came over on whaling ships (that's how my husband's family came). Portuguese Sausage (which is what we call it around here) is a staple for all people in Hawaii-Portuguese or not. They even serve it at McDonalds for breakfast :)
We use it in Portuguese bean soup, for breakfast with eggs and rice, among other things. I think my favorite way to eat it is as a breakfast sandwich on Portuguese sweet bread with cheese and egg. Yum!

[elyse]

mmmm ... linguica. chourico is yummy, too. haven't had it in years.

i moved to fall river, mass when i was 11. there's a large portuguese population there and so linguica was served on our regular hot lunch menu. before long, i was asking my mom to cook it at home and it became a real fave.

obrigado!

xo
elyse

[Linda]

What a fun post! My parents were both Portuguese so we also grew up eating linguica. They were raised in New Bedford, MA and always bought linguica and chourico from Gaspar's in Fall River. I still have it shipped to me here in WA from Gaspar's...it's just the best! Thanks for touching on these sweet memories!

[sandy]

I follow your blog and i just cant say we are two of the same i two am a portuguese girl and grew up on silvas. You can't find any other brand that has that flavor, i will be trying your recipe out. Here is a new one for you, my grandmother use to allways boil it in burgundy wine (carlo rossi the cheap stuff)she would cut it in big slice and boil it till they were big and blump. We eat it with eggs and pancakes yummmmmm! I can still smell her kitchen now! Thanks for sharing
sandy

[Ana]

I follow your blog form Barcelona, Spain and I'm also portuguese. It's really nice to see that we are everywhere!! I'm going the portugal this summer and I will eat linguiça!!! Beijos para ti e para a tua familia

[Isabel ~ Maison Douce]

Serena.... You had me at linguiça!!!! It is one of my favorite portuguese foods, and I used to bring tons with me from Portugal until customs tightened the restrictions... We just cook them on the chouriço clay cooker (over burning rubbing alcohol) and eat it with bread... Delish!
Isabel

[StacyKlement]

Oh my gosh! I'm Portugese too and I grew up on that stuff! It brings bck so many memories of my dad.

[jenny]

How funny! My maiden name is Silva. :)

[Deborah]

Where do you purchase it? Specialty market?

[Debi Burton]

I agree with Junebug . . . GREAT on pizza!

Debi

[joyce cecsarini]

I am pretty sure I bought it at costco too.
Its very good.
its located where all there specialty sausages are.

[malia]

hi serena, i'm part portuguese too-- we always ate it friend up with eggs for b-fast... so yummy!

[paula]

Portuguese? I didn't know that. I am too.

[Bailey]

I am half Portuguese and love this sausage. Every once in awhile, my Mom will have one of her siblings ship some out from Rhode Island. I like to put it (spicy) in soup with kale and potatoes, and serve it up with some Portuguese sweet bread. Yummy!