National dish Number 3 Brazil with Feijoada

 Feijoada

The Brazilian Feijoada is  Brazils undisputed national dish. It is a beanstew with rice and pork.

Originally Feijoada was made using every part of the pig, such as ears, tails, and nose floating among the beans. As this upsets tourists, a version of it is made especially with them in mind only using the fine meat parts of the pig.

The origin of the Feijoada runs back to the sixteenth century with the introduction of slaves in Brazil. Slaves were used for many things, cotton production, cocoa production, rubber and with the goldrush boom for extraction of dimonds and mine digging.

The culinary culture of Africa was mixed with the European food traditions. The African slaves had the basic bean stew, the Portuguese added the linguiça (sausage), and the Indians added the farofa (toasted manioc flour). The result was a particularly "heavy" dish wich lasted long and gave the workers the energy they needed, the Feijoada!

Today the Feijoadas are widely famous in Brazil and most restaurants has a special day they serve this nutritious meal. Also outside of Brazil the different Feijoadas are receiving word as delicious recipes!

The problem can be to find the right ingredients outside of Brazil. This is usually solved by exchanging the missing products with something similar.

Because of the “heavy” consistence of the famous beanstew recipe, Brazilians believe that drinking some caipirinha helps reduce the unhealthy effects. Otherwise, the recommended activity after this culinary treat is a nap =).

An ordinary family in Rio de Janeiro has Feijoada at least once a month, as well as for special occasions such as Christmas , Birthdays. 

Included here is the recipe of of a traditional dinner for 10-15 people:

Ingredients:

1 lb. black beans
1 lb. smoked ham hocks
1 of each: pork foot, ear, tail, tongue
(optional)(very)
1 lb. Mexican "chorizo," "pepperoni" or
Brazilian "linguica"
1/2 lb. Chunk of lean Canadian bacon or
Brazilian "carne seca"
1/2 lb. Smoked pork or beef ribs
3-4 strips of smoked bacon
1/2 lb. lean pork
1/2 lb. lean beef
1 large onion
4 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons of olive or vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vinegar
salt to taste
black pepper
hot sauce (optional)

How to prepare feijoada:

Soak beans overnight in large container. Next morning, cook beans for 4-5 hours at low heat. Place ham hocks, chorizo, ribs and Canadian bacon in deep pan with plenty of water and bring to a boil. Change water and bring to a new boil, repeating the procedure at least three times to tenderize cured meats and remove excess fat.

In a large frying pan saut‚ onion and garlic using either vegetable or olive oil (smoked bacon strips optional) for two or three minutes. Toss in cubed pork and beef. Saut‚ an additional two-three minutes.

Mash 5-l0 tablespoons of beans and add to large pot. The resulting paste will thicken sauce. Add two tablespoons of olive oil, three garlic cloves all chopped-up or mashed, along with a tablespoon of white vinegar and a teaspoon of red-hot pepper. Stir, heat over medium fire for two-three minutes, then transfer to contents of frying pan. (You may use two frying pans, if necessary)

Let simmer for l0-l5 minutes. Add contents of frying pan(s) to the beans and let boil at medium heat for 1-2 hours.

Serve over rice, with additional red-hot sauce, if desired.