Welcome to Brazil! Brazil has always fascinated me - the Amazon, their food, the culture. I would love to visit some day! According to Google, Brazil has a population of 208.5 million people and their capital is Brasilia. And their national food is...
Feijoada!
I first had feijoada when I was younger. I was at my Aunt and Uncle's house, and my Uncle was excited for me to try something I couldn't even pronounce. I remember their house smelling so good all day while it cooked. Then I tasted it. It was amazing. They served it with farofa on top, which was an interesting texture but completely worked. Fast forward to my college years, I asked my Uncle for the recipe. I made feijoada frequently, because it was a cheap, delicious meal that I could eat all week. These days, though, I can't eat beans. This is the main ingredient in feijoada, so I wasn't able to eat it this time. However, I couldn't wait to make it for Handsome Husband and just hoped he enjoyed it as much as I did! Here's what I did:
- Soak the black beans overnight in water.
- Drain and rinse black beans.
- In a large pot, saute the onions and garlic in butter until golden.
- Add can of tomatoes and mix.
- Add drained beans, kelbasa, ham bone, and ham and give a good stir.
- Add enough water to cover everything (the bone will likely be sticking out - this is fine) and cook for 4 1/2 hours or so.
- When you're ready to serve, make the Farofa
- Melt butter in skillet and add garlic. Saute for a minute.
- Add all the other ingredients and cook for about five minutes, stirring frequently.
(Source: the Aunt and Uncle)
- Preheat the oven to 350.
- In a small pan, place water, milk, and butter. Bring to a boil.
- When boiling, remove from heat and add tapioca flour.
- Put the mixture in a stand mixer with a dough hook, and add the tapioca flour (you can also do this by hand).
- Add egg, cheese, and salt and mix until a sticky dough forms.
- Oil your hands, and form balls with the dough. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until they turn golden brown.
- Combine condensed milk, butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small pan and mix well.
- Continue stirring until thickened. It should peel away when you scrape the bottom of the pan, and run back down after a couple seconds (it took me about 15 minutes).
- Pour mixture onto a lightly greased plate and put in the fridge for around 30 minutes.
- Once it is cold and more firm, cover your hands in butter and scoop some dough and roll into a ball.
- Dip in the garnish and coat.
- Enjoy!
