Azore Style Feijos Beans Recipes

PORTUGUESE BEANS

Steps:

• Cook beans, by putting in heavy kettle, cover, with 3 inches of water. Do not cover pot with lid, boil for 3 minutes. NOW cover and remove from heat.
• Let stand 1 hour. Cook bacon or salt pork add to beans. Do not disguard drippings.
• Return to heat, remove lid and boil, reduce to simmer approximately 1-2 hours.Until tender, drain off water until just covered.
• Take pan drippings and cook onion.
• Add Allspice and Ketchup cook at a simmer 2 minutes.
• Add mixture to beans and simmer, the day away.

PORTUGUESE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Soak and boil the beans until they just start to soften (1.5 hours or so).
• Saute onions and garlic in fat until slightly brown.
• Add everything else except salt (salt will keep your beans from softening). Bring to boil, cover and simmer for 1 hour.
• Salt just before serving.

FEIJOS FROM THE AZORES

Steps:

• 1. *NOTE: Can also substitute sausage for the bacon or ham hock. Portuguese linguica, Spanish chorizo or Louisiana andouille, vegetarian "soyrizo" (for a vegetarian version), etc. are suggestions. My preference being bacon as I don't care for sausage or ham hock. For additional flavor, I usually dry roast the spices in a cast iron skillet first.
• 2. Soak the beans overnight. Cook the bacon and drain on paper towel. Next saute the onion and garlic. Once cooled, break up the bacon into little pieces.
• 3. In large Dutch oven or in crock pot, combine all the ingredients, including the water, excluding the salt. If using a Dutch oven, simmer the beans on medium-low for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until beans are soft.
• 4. If using a crock pot simmer on low 8 hours or until beans are soft. Salt the beans once cooked.
• 5. Adjust seasoning before serving. Now season with salt. Remove whole cloves, cinnamon stick and whole allspice. Great with freshly baked, crusty bread. Tastes even better if prepared one day ahead then warmed.

PORTUGUESE BEANS WITH RICE

Steps:

• Soak the beans overnight for at least 6 hours. Drain them and put them into a pot, covering them with cold, lightly salted water. Add in the chorizo. Cover and bring to a boil then lower the heat and allow to simmer for about an hour until the beans are tender but not overcooked.
• While the beans are cooking, prepare the rice by boiling it in lightly salted water and straining once al dente. (Or you could use your rice cooker). Set the rice aside.
• Peel the onion and garlic and chop together with the bacon. Saute them together in a pan with the olive oil. Clean the tomatoes, removing their seeds, and dice them, then add them to the saute pan.
• Add the bay leaf, parsley, salt and pepper to the pan, as well as the red pepper flakes if you are using. Allow to cook on medium heat until the onions are fully cooked.
• Add the rice to the pan, keep stirring, allowing the rice to soak up all the flavours in the pan for a minute or two.
• Put the rice mixture into a bowl and stir in the drained beans and chorizo. Enjoy!