Portuguese feijoada

Creator notes

A simple bean stew with Portuguese origins (“feijão” literally means bean), that spread to Brazil and other parts of the world via colonization. My favorite time to eat it is the next day when the flavors blend together even more and the soup has a chance to thicken.

– Jennifer Borges (@nothingssoffthetable)

Featured bean: Classic Flat White and Alubia

Take 'em from dried to cooked with our guide! 

Ingredients 

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ~10 cilantro stems
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• Kosher salt
• 2 large cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon Portuguese hot pimenta paste
• Black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon of hot paprika
• 2 small tomatoes chopped
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
• ½ cup dried Classic Flat White beans
• ¼ cup dried Alubia beans
• 1 lb stew pork, cut in 1-inch cubes
• ½ round of Portuguese chourico, leave whole*
• ⅔ lbs Portuguese touchinho (thick cut, lightly salted bacon can be subbed), leave whole
• 2.5 liters good quality chicken or vegetable stock
• ½ cup cabbage shredded thinly
• 2 large carrots cut in rounds
• ¼ cup of macaroni

Steps

1. Heat olive oil on medium high heat in a heavy bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven. Add in cilantro stems and lightly simmer for 3-4 minutes to infuse the oil. Once infused discard stems.

2. Add onion to pot, with a pinch of salt and sauté until almost translucent. Add in garlic and cook an additional 1-2 minutes.

3. Add pimenta paste, a few grinds of black pepper, bay leaves, and paprika and cook an additional 1-2 minutes before adding in chopped tomatoes and tomato paste and cooking down until thicker. This takes roughly five minutes.

4. Add in both beans, stewed pork, whole piece of chourico, and whole piece of toucinho (these will be cut once cooked at the end). Stir to incorporate everything.

5. Add stock, cover pot, and lower the heat to medium heat. Cook for about 1 hour.

6. At the one-hour mark take the chourico and toucinho out, and cut into bite sized pieces, re-add them back into the pot.

7. Add in sliced carrots and cabbage, this should take about 20 minutes to cook. While everything finishes cooking and the beans are tender, start on cooking your pasta.

8. Cook ¼ cup of macaroni separately according to package, drain and rinse. Add the cooked macaroni into the pot. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve into bowls and enjoy.

NOTE: If Portuguese chourico is difficult to find, please do not sub-Mexican chorizo as it is not the same. You can try dry-cured Spanish chorizo or linguica (another Portuguese sausage), or alternatively andouille.