Firstly, the origins of Feijoada ( pronounced:  Fei joe ah dah ) date back to the 1500s with the introduction of slave traders and African slavery in Brazil. Slaves picked cotton,  worked in cocoa production and rubber manufacturing, during the gold rush they panned the metal, and the extraction of diamonds. The culinary culture of Brazil ( I was there in 2011 ) has been a merger between the colonial countries of north western Europe, the Indigenious Indians of the Amazon, North Americans, Asians and Africans. The Africans had the bean part down, the Portuguese the meats and sausages and the Amazonians, the Manioc or Cassava, known as Yuca, a common African and South American Tuber.

 

Luis Da Cámara Cascudo, a well known Brazilian historian, has stated that feijoada is a Brazilian stew which stems from the French Cassoulet, the Spanish Cocido, the Portuguese Cozido and the Italian Cssola. This National Dish of Brazil is also eaten and enjoyed throughout Portugal. 

 

In the Portuguese regions of Estremadura and Trás os Montes, the earliest printed recipes date back to the 1800s. In northwest Portugal, the white bean is more common and in the norteast, the Pinto or the Red bean is used. In Brazil, the black turtle bean is more favored.

 

FEIJOADA  for 6:

 

1 kilo of black turtle beans called Alubias soaked overnight

1/4 kilo pig ears chopped ( optional )

3 pork ribs

100 grams of filet mignon of pork

1 pig´s tail ( optional )

6 Iberian or Portuguese or Italian sausages piquant

6 Iberian or Portuguese or Italian sausages sweet

1/4 calf´s tongue

1 chunk of Canadian bacon or pancetta

*** choose from: collard greens: swiss chard, kale, cabbage, dinosaur cabbage

long grain rice white

1 green plantain fried per person

salt and pepper

*** IF POSSIBLE TO GET: CARNE SECA, a dried meat product from Brazil or Portugal

1 large pork lion shoulder

onion, yuca, garlic

Avocado Oil ( for garnish at end only - no boiling point ) and Spanish Olive Extra Virgin

 

1) Put all the pork meats in a large Dutch oven preferably made of copper as they do in Brazil and Portugal or earthenware clay ( terracotta ) and cook for 2 1/2 hours

2) Once the beans have soaked overnight, in water and salt; rinse and put with just enough water to cover and salt, and the meats ( except sausages ) in number one.

3) Taste test to insure the beans tenderness

4) and simmer for 3 hours if necessary

5) after 2 1/2 hrs., add the sausages and cook until tender

6) Now prepare the chopped bacon or pancetta, a shot of Jerez Brandy, a glass of fresh orange juice, a glass of black beer, chopped onion, chopped yuca, chopped potato, chopped garlic, Aguardiente Cachaca Brazilian fire water ( orujo ), can substitute Tequila or Grappa ...

7) Simmer to boil on low to medium flame and prepare rice in separate pot.

8) the last secret is, take 10 tablespoons of beans, and mash them, and put back in the big pot

and the results: thickens the Cozido

9) serve with triple orange slices, lime slices, lemon slices

10) serve with veggies ( boil until tender, drain and salt and pepper )

11) each dish is served in a covered pot, and ladle each in bowl, beginning with the beans and the meats with a little rice, and fruit on side

 

*** note: one can use turnips, potato, yuca, malanga, ñame and 1 type of collards ... this dish is served in Two Courses. The soup and the beans together and then, add the some of the meat. Then a plate for the veggies, rice and fruit.

 

 

Margi Cintrano

 

your post mentions carne seca; i wonder if that is similar to http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/forum_posts.asp?TID=1603&title=dried-beef-aka-chipped-beef-from-venison - this product , which i made from venison? it is a cured product that is dry on the outside, and has all "extra" moisture removed from the inside - similar to http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/forum_posts.asp?TID=288&title=pastourma - pastourma of greece or http://foodsoftheworld.activeboards.net/forum_posts.asp?TID=283&title=traditional-romanian-pastram - pastramă of romania .  or would you say that it is more like jerky?

 FEI JOE AH DAH = 4 syllables

 

Margi.

The foto is quite a bit different than yours. The beans are black turtle ... very pretty colorful dish that you have, however, it is quite different than the one we had today for lunch.

 

I am in Portugual, and we are headed back to Spain on Sunday morning.

 

Margi.

This is peasant food at it's absolute best.

@ Hoser,

 

Yes, this is a real traditional traditional dish dating back to the 1500s.

 

This is the National Dish of Brazil ( however the roots are Portuguese ) and there is an enormous Spoon Tradition ( stews and soups ) tradition in Mediterranean ... Cassola is the Italian stew, cassoulet the French, cozido the Portuguese and cocido the Spanish ... Spoon stews are Beans, vegetables: onion, celery, potato, or tuber variety, meats of various types or fish or chicken or feathered game or hoofed game ... spices, carrot, turnip or beet root tops, collards, chard or kale etcetra ...

 

I make my black beans separately from the meat varieties ... Then towards the end, I put in the sausages. Also, I prepare a  pork lion roast in the oven to serve with it ... The sides are numerous and it is great for friends --- as it served buffet style --- with deep bowls and a spoon ...

 

M.C.  

 

 

 

Yes, do please use Copper or Earthenware --- vessels for cooking. This is a traditional dish and these types hold in the heat of the ingredients and give the ingredients their individual colors.

 

thanx again for all lovely notes.

Margi Cintrano

The Bean Lover & Garlic Fan, 

 

The two of you are fabulous ... The Garlic Enthusiast and The Bean Lover ... Hilarious ... I have enjoyed the cute story ...

 

Having lived in the Mediterranean all these years, I have learnt one thing, and it is the old Italian Adage: EVERYONE MUST BE HAPPY AT THE TABLE ... or do NOT sit down !

 

Have a safe trip and enjoy ur Feijoada ...

 

Margi.

  

 

When I was in Portugal from the 17th to 19th of February, we had gone to a Brazilian restaurant for lunch and it was wonderful. Funny, as I had been to Brazil in 2011, so I am quite familiar with this traditional dish. I do have a foto, I just have so much work after my journalism work, I could spend all day with the Forum, which is not possible ... Thanks for posting the info as alot of Members were very curious about this traditional dish ...

 

Thanx again.

Margi Cintrano

Ron: 

I have photographs of my Feijoada .. 

Shall send via email ..  

This Max Miller episode just reminded me of this thread:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lABWCEfeEyw

Karl,

This is how it was served on the table at Rubaiyat, in The Madrid Capital, a Brazilian restaurant !

This is wonderful.  It is still Indian Summer here, however, I enjoy it when the temperatures are cooler.

Pleased to see that you are interested in the dish.

Best wishes and kind regards.

Margaux Cintrano