Feijoada (Brazilian Black Beans)

Here’s a recipe from Food Network/Emeril Lagasse. I made the following adaptations to speed up and simplify:

• Cooked the black beans first, in the pressure cooker.
• Doubled the sausage, did not include the carne seca or spareribs.

Dish will take between 1 hr and 3 hrs, depending on cooking method used.

Ingredients

• 2 T olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 2 T chopped garlic
• 2 bay leaves, crushed
• Salt & pepper
• 1 lb chorico sausage, sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 1 lb carne seca or other salted cured beef, soaked overnight and cubed
• 1 pound baby back spareribs, cut into individual ribs
• 1 lb black beans
• 10 cups water
• 4 cups sauted collard or kale
• 4 cups cooked white rice
• Brazilian hot sauce
• Garnish: 1 orange, halved and cut into thin slices + Farofa (recipe follows)

My Directions

A. Cook the black beans in the pressure cooker.

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan, over medium heat, add the oil.
2. Add the onions and garlic and crushed bay leaves
3. Season with salt and pepper and saute for 5 minutes.
4. Add the water and black beans.
5. Bring to a boil and follow pressure cooker directions for 25 minutes; release steam slow method.

B. Cook the sausages separately in a pan.

C. Combine the sausages and beans.

1. Using the back of a ladle, mash 1/4 of the beans.
2. Add the sausage. Continue to cook for 4 minutes.
3. To serve, spoon some of the greens and rice onto each serving plate. Spoon the Feijoada over the rice. Shake some of the hot sauce over the entire plate. Garnish with the orange slices and farofa.

Original Directions

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan, over medium heat, add the oil.
2. Add the onions and garlic and crushed bay leaves
3. Season with salt and pepper and saute for 5 minutes.
4. Add the sausage. Continue to cook for 4 minutes.
5. Add the cubed beef, ribs, beans and water.
6. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the beans are tender, about 2 1/2 hours. (Add water as necessary to keep the beans covered.)
7. Using the back of a ladle, mash 1/4 of the beans.
8. To serve, spoon some of the greens and rice onto each serving plate. Spoon the Feijoada over the rice. Shake some of the hot sauce over the entire plate. Garnish with the orange slices and farofa.

To make the Farofa:

1. In a large saute pan, over medium heat, melt 3T butter.
2. Add 2 1/2 cups manioc flour. Season with salt. Saute until golden, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.