Feijoada  anglo-brasileira

What we served at the Festa was a variation on the national dish, the feijoada completa.  In my childhood we seldom had it at home.  It was more the kind of thing for an occasion in a restaurant, given the complexities of the full works.  And the restaurants tended to make it only on certain days, Thursdays and especially Saturdays, as I recall.

Serves 8

There can be some confusing instructions on packs of beans (even from same supplier) about soaking or not and for how long.  The recipe below worked well, the essential being that the beans are cooked but still in their skins.

The chorizo type and quantity is a matter of taste, depending on how spicy you like the stew.

Also, the amount of bacon can be varied.

1. Take the whole 500g pack.  Rinse beans thoroughly and discard any discoloured

ones.  Cover with water and leave to soak. 2-4 hrs should be enough but overnight

would do as well and might be more convenient. 

2.  Drain the beans and put them into a large pan.  Add approx 1½  litres fresh water.

(Don’t add salt at this stage– it hardens the beans. ) 

3.  Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 10 mns.  (It will create foam on top– just keep removing with a slotted spoon).  Then lower to simmer for 45-60 mns, or until the

beans are soft. 

If necessary, add water to prevent the beans from drying out. 

Beans are done when you can crush one to a paste.

4.  Meanwhile -

Fry the onion (in lard or bacon fat or vegetable oil) for 5 mns or until lightly coloured. 

Add the garlic and fry for 1 min.   

Add the chorizo and fry with the onions for 3-5 mns. 

Add the bacon with the bay leaf, cook for a further 5 mns

5.  Transfer 2 -3 ladles of beans with some of the liquid to the frying pan (or separate

receptacle e.g. a plate).  Crush the beans to a purée.  Season with salt and pepper. 

(The crushed beans serve to thicken the sauce.  Depending on the final result, you

may wish to add a further ladle or two.)

6. Add the smoked sausage to the pan of beans.  Add the fried bean and chorizo mixture.  

Cook for 15 mns more to blend all the flavours.

 In short: beans take about 60 mns to cook.  The rest takes about 15 mns.  This suggests that the rest should be ready to be added to the beans after they have been cooking for about an hour. 

7.  Serve with rice (about 60g per person), slices of orange, and possibly some farofa (toasted manioc/ cassava flour).  Ready-made can be had from Casa Brasil in London ,but while the pack is quite cheap (about £2.25 for 500g) the cost of postage could be at least twice as much.