Feijoada is one of the most traditional and historic dishes in Portuguese cuisine. It combines many of the great flavors and ingredients our cuisine has to offer and turns them into a wonderfully delicious mix. It has everything, beans, rice, and delicious meats, and is a hearty and is in our opinion the most awesome way to enjoy Portuguese cuisine. This dish is so delicious and tasty that is has influenced Brazilian cuisine and become the Brazilian national dish of choice. This recipe comes from our fellow Portuguese compatriot Emeril Lagasse over at the Food Network. The recipe is a bit more difficult than the rest of our very simple dishes, but the effort is totally worth the deliciousness at the end, I guaruntee you’ll love it.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
4 slices bacon, chopped
2 pounds dried black beans, soaked overnight and drained
1 pound salt pork, cut into 1/2-inch cubes, boiled for 5 minutes and drained
2 pounds Linguica, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
1 pound smoked lean ham hocks, fat scored
1 pound corned beef, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 orange, washed very well and quartered
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 quarts water, plus more as needed
Portuguese rice, for serving, recipe follows
Vinaigrette Sauce (Molho de vinagrete), recipe follows
Sauteed Collard Greens (Couve refogada), for serving, recipe follows

Directions:
1) In a large, heavy, deep pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onions, garlic and bacon and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the beans, salt pork, Linguica, ham hocks, corned beef, orange, bay leaves, salt, crushed red pepper and water. Bring to a boil, skim any froth that comes to the surface, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are very tender, about 2 hours.
2) Remove from the heat and discard the bay leaves and orange quarters. Serve with Portuguese rice, Vinaigrette Sauce and Sauteed Collard Greens (the recipes for these are seen below).

Vinaigrette dressing
Ingredients:
4 large tomatoes, chopped
1 large white onion, finely chopped
2 fresh red cayenne peppers, seeded and minced or 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped parsley leaves
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Stir well and serve at room temperature

Portuguese Rice Directions:
1/4 cup canola oil
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups long grain white rice, washed and drained
4 cups boiling water
1 bay leaf
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
In a 4-quart pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and stir-fry until golden. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until slightly toasted and fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the water, bay leaf, tomatoes and salt and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat so that the rice just simmers. Cook undisturbed until tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand covered without stirring for 10 minutes.

Fluff with a fork, discard the bay leaf, and serve.

Sauteed Collard Greens Directions:
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
2 bunches collard greens, washed well and shredded
1 (12-ounce) beer
1 teaspoon salt
Collard greens: In a large deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until light golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the collard greens, beer, and salt and cook, stirring constantly, until wilted and tender, and the beer is slightly reduced, about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and serve.

If you have any questions or comments about this dish please place them in the comment box below, Enjoy!