Feijoada

Rachel Dana was our October 2012 Daring Cooks' Challenge hostess! Rachel brought Brazil into our lives by challenging us to make Feijoada and Farofa along with some other yummy side dishes traditionally served with Feijoada, which is a delicious black bean and pork stew.

Feijoada [fay-JWA-da], a rich stew of black beans and pork, is Brazil’s national dish. Traditional feijoada contains a combination of many varieties of pork. Pork shoulder, pork loin, smoked pork sausage, salted pork ribs, fresh ham, bacon, ham hock, dried pork, pork knuckles. You name it, you can use it. 

I kept my meats pretty standard – bacon, pork shoulder and andouille sausage (linguica would have been more authentic). Otherwise, I was pretty true to the recipe. I was a little concerned that it would be bland, but I was wrong. The combination of leeks, shallots and scallions plus the paprika, Tabasco and Worcestershire gave it a solid, but not overpowering flavor.

I served the feijoada over rice and with the traditional accompaniments of quickly sautéed collard greens and orange slices, a really refreshing side that cut right through the richness of the stew.

Start with the beans. 

Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Cook, covered, for about an hour, until the beans are just cooked through.

In the meantime, sauté the pork shoulder, sausage, and whichever other meats you’re using, in batches, until browned on all sides but not cooked through. Set aside and cover.

In a Dutch oven, sauté the bacon until it’s lightly crisp. Add the onion, celery, leeks, shallots and scallions. Cook until tender. This base is going to give the feijoada lots of flavor.

Add the garlic. Then add the beans, plus all of their cooking liquid to the bacon and vegetables and bring to a boil. Add the meats plus accumulated juices to the beans. 

Simmer, covered, for three hours until the meats are tender. (Look at how thick and rich it is after all that simmering!)

Season liberally with salt, pepper, nutmeg, paprika, Tabasco and Worcestershire.

Serve on rice, along with garlicky sautéed collard greens and orange slices.

  

Feijoada

Adapted from a recipe by Leticia Moreinos Schwartz

4 cups dried black beans, picked and rinsed
4 quarts water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 lb bacon, cut into pieces
2 lb pork shoulder, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 ½ to 2 lb chorizo, linguica or andouille sausage
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1/2 cup celery, chopped
1/2 cup leeks, chopped
1/2 cup shallots, chopped
1/2 cup scallions, chopped
2 Tbsp chopped garlic, minced
3 bay leaves

Kosher Salt
Freshly ground pepper
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Paprika

Cayenne pepper
Tabasco sauce
Worchestershire sauce

1.    Place the beans in a very large pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Turn heat to medium, and cook, covered, for 1 hour, until the beans are just cooked but not too mushy (I had to cook mine a bit longer). Set aside.

2.    Meanwhile, start preparing meats and vegetables. Saute the pork shoulder and sausage, in batches, until browned on all sides. Transfer to a large bowl and cover tightly with aluminum foil.

3.    Heat the oil in an extra-large Dutch oven pan, and cook the bacon until lightly crispy.

4.    Add the onions, celery, leeks, shallots and scallions and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes.

5.    Add the garlic and stir to blend with other vegetables. Add the beans and bring to a boil.

6.    Add the meats and any accumulated juices from the bowl. Cover the pan and simmer at low heat for about 3 hours, until the meats are tender and falling off the bones.

7.    Season with salt, pepper, nutmeg, paprika, Tabasco and Worcestershire, all to taste.

8.    Serve with rice, farofa, collard greens (quickly sautéed over high heat with plenty of garlic), and orange or grapefruit slices.

 Serves 8 - 10