Feijoada (Brazil's National Dish)

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Last Updated on Saturday, 19 August 2006

Published on Tuesday, 14 February 2006

 

(Black beans and pork stew)

The slaves in the colonial Brazil created the "Feijoada".

They started cooking the pork meats that Farmland owners discarded such as ear, tails, feet in a big pot with black beans.

This dish became traditional all over the country. Since then, the dish was incremented with pork sirloin and sausages that transformed the menu in a famous entrée that everybody who visit Brazil have to taste.

The following recipe is an easy-to-do version of "Feijoada" made only with pork tenderloin and sausages.

This recipe is preferred for busy people that don't want to handle the salted pork ears,  tails and feet found in the complete "Feijoada".

INGREDIENTS

1 lb of varied pork sausages (prefer smoked sausages)

1 lb of pork tenderloin

some slices of bacon

1 can of black beans (15.5Oz)

2 tbs vegetable oil

salt, garlic, chopped onions and bay leaves (bay leaves give a special taste to feijoada)

 

PREPARE 

Feijoada is made with black beans and pork meats.

You can use a can of beans already cooked or use the follow method to cook dried beans:

How to cook dried beans:

It used to take hours to cook dried beans, not anymore. Using a pressure cooker, you can cook red beans, pinto beans and black beans in 20 minutes.

First, let 1lb of beans soaked in water overnight. It will make the beans easier to cook and make beans less gassy as well.

Drain beans and place them on the pressure cooker.

Cover beans with tap water. (Water level should be 1 inch above the beans).

Close the pressure cooker and place in medium heat.

Your beans are ready 20 minutes after the regulator starts to blow steam.

Hint:

Always add seasoning after the beans are cooked.

Count cooking time when the regulator starts to blow steam.

Add black beans to a medium-sized pot with 2 tbs oil, salt, garlic, chopped onions and about 6 bay leaves.

Cook for about 15 minutes in med heat and set aside.

 

In a separated frying pan, cook cubes of pork tenderloin and slices of bacon with salt, garlic.

Add all the sausages sliced and stir medium-heat until dry all the water.

Add the cooked meat to the pan with the black beans and your feijoada is ready!

Cook your feijoada more 10 minutes to meat soak in the black beans. You can add some pepper sauce to your feijoada at this point.

  

Hint: to make the feijoada creamy, liquefy 1/2 cup of black beans in the blender and add to the feijoada.

Canja (Brazilian-style Chicken Soup)

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Last Updated on Wednesday, 15 February 2006

Published on Tuesday, 14 February 2006

Found on menus from Salvador to São Luis, canja is the most universal dish in the vast Northeast.  It is the great Brazilian cure-all, a guaranteed remedy for many small ills.

1.  Place in a lagre soup pot:

1 chicken, cut up

2 tablespoons of butter (or margarine)

Brown the pieces on all sides until golden

2.  Add to the pot:

8 c. of water

1 bay leaf

2 carrots, chopped

1/4 tsp. pepper

4 tsp. parsley

2 celery ribs (optional)

1 onion

Bring the ingredients to boil on high.  Simmer for 1 hour.

3.  Strain and reserve the liquid, discarding the vegetables.  (I sometimes leave the vegetables in)  Skim off the fat.  Debone the chicken and set it aside for later use.  Preparations to this point may be in advance and the broth frozen to be used later.

4.  Return the broth to the pot and add:

1/3 c. of rice (not instant)

1 c. tomato juice

The chicken.

Salt to taste.

 

Simmer the soup for 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender.  Diced carrots, cubed chayote, minced garlic, minced green onions and fresh coriander may be added, if disired.

 

Brazilian Rice

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Last Updated on Wednesday, 15 February 2006

Published on Tuesday, 14 February 2006

1.  Wash 3 c. of rice (not instant) 3 times in cold water then drain in a colander.

2.  Place the rice in a large pan with

2 T. of butter

1/2 small onion, finely minced.

Stir the rice over low heat until the grains are well coated with the butter and the onion is slightly cooked.  Step 2 is optional, but it makes the rice tastier.

3.  Bring to boil in another pan:

6 c. of water

1 tsp. salt

Pour the boiling water over the rice and stir occasionally until it returns to a full boil.  Lower the heat and simmer the rice for 20 minutes, adding small amounts of hot water to keep it from sticking, if necessary.  Remove from heat and allow to "rest" for at least 1/2 hour before serving. 

4.  Remove the saucepan immediately from the burner and drain the in a colander.

 

Arroz à Grega (Grecian Style Brazilian Rice)

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Last Updated on Saturday, 16 April 2011

Published on Tuesday, 14 February 2006

1.  Wash 3 c. of rice (not instant) 3 times in cold water then drain in a colander.

2.  Place the rice in a large pan with

2 T. of butter

1/2 small onion, finely minced.

Stir the rice over low heat until the grains are well coated with the butter and the onion is slightly cooked.  Step 2 is optional, but it makes the rice tastier.

3.  Bring to boil in another pan:

6 c. of water

1 tsp. salt

Pour the boiling water over the rice and stir occasionally until it returns to a full boil.  Lower the heat and simmer the rice for 20 minutes, adding small amounts of hot water to keep it from sticking, if necessary.  Remove from heat and allow to "rest" for at least 1/2 hour before serving. 

After cooking the rice using the above method, before letting it "rest", toss with

1 small onion, finely chopped and sauteed in butter:

1/2 c. raisins

1 chopped carrot (can be grated), boiled until tender

1 small clove garlic, finely minced

1 cup finely sliced, cooked green beans

All the vegetables must be drained well before adding to the rice.

4.  Remove the saucepan immediately from the burner and drain the in a colander.