D is for Dinner: Feijoada

To celebrate the arrival of the FIFA World Cup, the owner of a Brazilian catering company in Ottawa is sharing one of her recipes for CBC Radio’s All in a Day.

Angelita Macedo, owner of Brazilian Taste, chose feijoada, a popular bean and meat stew in Brazil.

Here's the recipe, which serves eight to 10 people.

Feijoada

Ingredients:

• 1 kg black beans.
• 1/2 pound Brazilian dried beef or beef jerky.
• 1 pound pork ribs.
• 1 pound smoked chorizo, or other spicy smoked sausage.
• 1 pound beef sirloin or smoked pork loin.
• 1/2 pound smoked bacon.
• 1/2 pound smoked pig or beef tongue (optional).
• 1/4 cup olive oil.
• 3 cloves garlic, mashed.
• 1 bay leaf.
• Salt and pepper to taste.

Directions:

1. In a bowl, soak the beef jerky overnight, changing the water 2 or 3 times to reduce salt.
2. Meanwhile, cut the dried beef and sausage into 1-inch pieces. (If you use the Portuguese sausage, prick it with a fork and simmer it for 10 minutes in enough water to cover, before cutting.) Cut the ribs into 2-rib sections.
3. Place the beans in a large pot and cover with water on medium to low heat, add the meats and the bay leaf to the beans. Simmer for about 2 hours or until soft, stirring from time to time, adding water as necessary to keep beans covered. Keep an eye on the beans so they don't burn at the bottom.
4. In a different sauce pan put the mashed garlic and the bacon cut in tiny pieces and let it fry. After it's fried, add it to the large pot with the beans and meat.
5. Continue to simmer gently for at least another hour, adding water as necessary. A good feijoada should have a creamy consistency when done. Remove the bay leaves. Some people take the meats out at this point and serve them separately on a platter. I like to leave them in with the beans to keep them hot.
6. Serve with white rice, pepper sauce and orange slices. Serves 8 to 10.