Herb-Infused Bread and Shrimp Mash (Açorda Style)

A quick take on the comforting Portuguese bread-and-shrimp mash, featuring stale bread rehydrated with flavorful shrimp broth and fresh herbs, served with crisp steamed green beans.

• Prep: 15 min
• Cook: 10 min
• Total: 25 min
• Servings: 8
• Cuisine: Portuguese
• Difficulty: Easy
• Cost: $3.49/serving

Dietary

• Dairy-Free
• Nut-Free
• Egg-Free
• Pescatarian
• High-Protein
• Low-Sugar

Tags

• sauté
• steam
• comfort food
• savory
• fresh

Ingredients

• 8 ounce rustic bread (stale, crust removed, torn into 1-inch pieces)
• 2 pound shrimp (large, peeled, deveined)
• 4 cup water
• 0.25 cup olive oil
• 6 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 yellow onion (medium, finely chopped)
• 0.5 cup fresh cilantro (chopped)
• 0.25 cup fresh parsley (chopped)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 0.5 teaspoon black pepper (ground)
• 1 pound green beans (fresh, trimmed)

Instructions

1. Place reserved shrimp shells in a small saucepan with 4 cups water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes. Strain the broth, discarding shells. Set broth aside.
2. While broth simmers, place torn bread pieces in a large bowl. In a large pot or deep skillet, heat 1/4 cup olive oil over medium heat. Add minced garlic and chopped yellow onion; cook for 3-4 minutes until softened and fragrant.
3. Add the peeled and deveined shrimp to the pot; cook for 2 minutes until just pink. Remove shrimp from the pot and set aside.
4. Pour the strained shrimp broth into the pot with the onion and garlic. Bring to a simmer. Add the chopped fresh cilantro, chopped fresh parsley, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Simmer for 1 minute.
5. Pour the simmering broth mixture over the stale bread in the bowl. Let sit for 2 minutes to soften the bread, then gently mash with a spoon until a thick, rustic consistency forms. Fold the cooked shrimp back into the açorda.
6. Meanwhile, steam the trimmed green beans in a steamer basket over boiling water for 3-5 minutes, until tender-crisp. Serve the açorda immediately with the steamed green beans on the side.

Notes

Use a rustic bread that's a day or two old for the best texture. If fresh, toast lightly to dry it out. Adjust consistency by adding more or less broth.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 280
• Protein: 24.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 26 g
• Fat: 8 g
• Fiber: 4.5 g
• Sodium: 750 mg
• Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
• Sugar: 2.5 g
• Cholesterol: 160 mg