Recipe #4: Gringo Feijoada

If I haven't mentioned it before, I went to Brazil for two years. Among the cultural things I learned to love was their incredible cuisine. It is incredible how simple ingredients like beans and rice can make absolutely delicious meals in Bahia, Brazil. The ingredients are sometimes hard to find here in the States, but the following recipe is one that I invented that, while very American, at least does the flavorfulness of Brazilian lunches justice.

Gringo Feijoada

"Uma delícia não-brasileira!"

 Ingredients

• 1 tsp. minced garlic
• ¼–½ onion, diced
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can Bean-with-Bacon soup OR canned pinto beans
• 2 all-beef hot dogs, sliced
• 4 slices bacon, cut into pieces and cooked
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 2 tbsp. (or more) cilantro

Directions

1. Sauté the onions and garlic until sautéed.
2. Add can of black beans (with juice) and can of bean with bacon soup to pot. Add ½ bean-with-bacon soup can of water.
3. Add hot dog slices and bacon, then stir in spices except cilantro. I also added Brazilian spices, but I'm sure you won't have access to those. :(
4. After awhile, when you're ready to eat, throw in the cilantro.
5. Eat over Brazilian rice (see below) with Frank's Red Sauce and cuzcuz*, farinha†, or farofa‡. It's also good with beef on the side, or chicken, or a fried egg. 

YIELD: Like 3 or 4 servings.
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Directions for Brazilian Rice

1. Sauté some onions and garlic until sautéed.
2. Add a cup of rice, and stir around until the rice turns an opaque white color.
3. Put in two cups of water, and salt/spices to taste.
4. Bring to a boil, cover, and let simmer for 10-12 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
6. Fluff with a fork, eat beneath Feijoada (see above).

YIELD: About 4 or 5 servings. Eat the extra serving with chicken or something if you want.

Washes down well with...  Guaraná (Brazilian soda), Sprite, or exotic fruit juice/punch like mango.
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*Not actual couscous, it's made from corn. Try your nearest Latino store and look for Flocão brand.
† Mandioca or cassava flour. Probably easier to find than cuzcuz.
‡ Farinha that's been sautéed with bacon and onions. It's a Brazilian thing. Don't worry about it if you've never tried it.