Feijoada

Copyright 2014 LtDan'sKitchen blogs

Brazil's "National Dish" is a gastronimic delight in its simplicity. The inspiration came from being part of the planning committee to look for caterers of our school's alumni event. Our theme is Brazil's Carnaval so we wanted every bit of the the event to evoke the spirit of Brazil. In terms of food, we really cannot expect our local caterers here to prepare authentic Brazilian dishes but we can surely come close by doing a bit of research. That research came up with this very simple dish which actually evokes a very similar dish back home. Not very surprising since a lot of Filipino dishes have a strong Spanish influence to them. 

To prove a point, my hometown boasts the KBL which stands for Kadios, Baboy and Langka or in English, Pigeon Pea, Pork and Young Jackfruit. It is a stew that is best cooked over charcoal and is served on Sunday lunches right after the family has gone to mass. This was how we usually enjoyed this dish growing up in my hometown. The stew makes use of cheaper cuts of pork so a good slow cooking over burning coals is ideal. Similar to KBL, I used ham hocks for my Feijoada which require a bit of cooking time and to balance the flavor, I added smoked Polish sausages. Originally, black beans would have been ideal but I ended up getting a variety of black beans that cooked a bit lighter in terms of color although the flavor was quite delectable nonetheless. 

The preparations are very similar with the exception of the addition of the young jackfruit slices but this very simple dish really packs quite a bit of WOW in the flavor department. I would eat this dish everyday if it were not my doctor will have a fit because of my gout.

Feijoada

4 lbs ham hocks - sliced into 2-inch thick rounds
1 1/2 lb smoked Polish sausages, sliced in thirds
2 large onions, diced
6-8 garlic cloves, minced
2 lbs black beans
1/2 cup tomato paste
4 bay leaves
salt and pepper
4 tbsp coconut oil
8-12 cups beef broth

1. In a large bowl, soak the beans in water for 8 hours to overnight. Drain 
    and set aside. 

2. In a large pot, heat the coconut oil over medium high heat. Saute the 
    garlic and onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook until softened. 

3. Add the bay leaves and saute for a minute. Pour the broth and add the
    ham hocks one at a time. Add more water to fully cover the pork pieces. 

4. Bring to a boil and cover. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer 
    covered for another 30 minutes. 

5. Add the beans and continue to simmer until the ham hocks are almost 
    falling apart and the beans are soft and tender. This will take about 2 
    hours. Add more water if necessary. 

6. Once the meat and the beans are tender, add the smoked sausages and 
    the tomato paste. Continue to simmer uncovered for another 15 minutes. 

7. Check for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Serve while hot.