Eleanor Nakama-Mitsunaga
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When it comes to the food contributions from immigrant groups to our local culture, certain items stand out. Portuguese sausage is at the top of that list -- a staple breakfast item as well as a tasty grilling and soup sausage.
The basics: Portuguese sausage, also known as linguica, was brought to the islands by immigrants who arrived in the early 1800s.
Sausage is essential to the cuisine of Portugal, where fresh and dried pork sausage and blood sausage have been made for centuries.
Hawaiian Portuguese sausage is a fresh sausage unique to the islands. It consists mainly of ground lean pork, lots of garlic, red chili peppers or pepper flakes, vinegar, salt, pepper and paprika.
There are many variations, depending on where the sausage is made. It may be smoked or even cured in a pickling liquid before stuffed in its casing. Actual recipes are scarce, but with so many brands available commercially, there's really no need to make the sausage at home.
Selecting: Many brands of Portuguese sausage are sold in Hawaii. Scan the average supermarket deli section and you'll find as many Portuguese sausages as hot dogs.
They come mild or spicy, whole or sliced. Occasionally available are bologna-sized patties that made great sandwiches (though these don't seem as prevalent).
Storing: Portuguese sausage must be refrigerated. It should last several days to a week, or freeze for longer storage.
Use: The staple island breakfast is sliced and fried Portuguese sausage served with eggs and rice. But in Portuguese cuisine, the sausage is often incorporated in soups, such as the staple bean soup, and caldo verde, collard green and sausage soup.
Cooking Portuguese sausage over a hibachi adds a smoky flavor that's become a favorite, too.
Where to buy: Portuguese sausage is available at all supermarkets and in bulk at Costco. Prices range from 99 cents to $3 per sausage, depending on quantity and brand.
Eleanor Nakama-Mitsunaga is
a free-lance food writer. Contact her
online through features@starbulletin.com
