Feijoada (Beans and Sausage Stew)

Feijoada (pronounced fay-ZWAH-da) is a delicious stew of pork and black beans that's traditionally served over rice. The word feijoada comes from the word feijão, which is Portuguese for beans. Served with rice it makes a meal that is warm, comforting, rich and hearty.

Legend has it that the feijoada was invented in the slave quarters in the plantations of Brazil. Apparently slaves cooked beans and gathered the leftover meat from the big house, parts of the pig that did not serve to the taste of their bosses. Later, the dish invented by the slaves won over all social classes, including the wealthiest. Others believe it originated in northern Portugal, a derivative of European dishes like cassoulet, the cooked stew in Madrid and the Portuguese Caldeirada. 

In Portugal, it is  cooked with white beans  or red beans and usually also includes other vegetables such as tomatoes, carrots or cabbage with the  pork or beef, chorizo, blood sausage and sausage. In Brazil, the mixture is made of black beans and various types of pork and beef, and comes to the table accompanied by farofa, white rice, steamed cabbage, sliced ​​orange, and cracklings. The goan version traditionally used salted pork and/or choricos, my recipe uses the spicy Goan sausage, onions, garlic and tomatoes to flavour the beans.

Ingredients


2 tablespoons oil

2 cups chopped onions

2 tablespoons chopped garlic

1 bay leaf

4 tablespoon tomato paste

5 large Goan Choriço sausages, skin removed

1/2 cup salted pork

2 cups kidney beans, soaked overnight and boiled

Salt and paprika to season


Directions

In a large saucepan, saute the onions and garlic in the oil. Add the bay leaves,the sausage, pork and tomato paste and cook for five minutes. Add the cooked beans and the water in which it was cooked( approx 1 cup). Season with salt and paprika. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the beans are tender, and the flavours melded together. Add water as necessary to keep the beans covered. Using the back of a ladle, mash some of the beans to add some texture to the feijoada. Reseason if needed.