HappyCandido: Beans & Rice: A Recipe

Before I met Camillo, I didn't like beans. Like, hated them. When we started enjoying each other's company, I realized that I should probably get over it since beans are a staple in Brasilian cuisine! I specifically remember the day we were eating lunch at my parent's house. Camillo's sister was visiting and had made us all lunch! I stood at the stove with a plate of rice and peered in to the pot of bubbling beans. I thought 'oh, just tough it up and eat some'. And the rest is history!

Camillo's sis taught me how to make feijoada (fayj-wada) that day. We even served it at our wedding! It's very good and pretty easy to make. Ya wanna try some?

You'll need:
a small onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons oil
2 garlic cloves, minced (or in my case, a tablespoon of garlic paste, ha!)
package of bacon (I like turkey bacon)
package of kielbasa (again, I go with turkey)
3 cans of black beans
salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, heat oil over medium high. Add onion and sauté until browned, then add garlic. Slice the bacon into small pieces. (A tip? Put your bacon in the freezer the night before you make your feijoada. It's so much easier to cut up when it's not soft!) Add to the onion and garlic, stirring frequently and cooking until crisp. Cut the kielbasa in 1/2 inch slices, then again crosswise and add to the pot. Once the meats are cooked, add all three cans of beans. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Turn down to simmer - the longer the better! I like to make mine in the morning during Ollie's first nap, letting it simmer until dinner. Serve over warm rice, salt and pepper to taste.

The first night we eat feijoada, that's our meal - just beans and rice with a side of salad. The next night (sometimes two!), since it's mostly beans that are left, we'll eat it as a side dish to chicken or steak (gee, Brasilians like their meat!). This recipe has a lot of room for..personalizing. I like to make it heavier at first, then add water to the leftovers later. But sometimes people like it more of a stew from the get go. I guess what I'm trying to say is, have fun with your feijoada! Don't be worried about messing it up, you probably can't.