Entree: Brazil – Central Culinary Region – Tutu de Feijão (Thick mashed bean purée cooked with manioc flour and pork, served with rice and collard greens)

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 35 min

Cook 1 hr 30 min

Additional 15 min

Total 2 hrs 20 min

Ingredients

- 2 cups (400 g) dried black or brown beans
- 10 cups (2.4 L) water for cooking beans
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 oz (225 g) bacon, diced
- 2 linguiça calabresa or smoked pork sausages, approx. 4 oz (115 g) each, sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp (5 g) ground cumin
- 1 tsp (5 g) smoked paprika
- 2 tsp (10 g) kosher salt, adjust to taste
- 1/2 tsp (2.5 g) freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil or lard
- 2 cups (240 g) farinha de mandioca (manioc/cassava flour)
- 4 cups (about 800 g) cooked white rice for serving
- 8 oz (225 g) collard greens (couve), stems removed, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil for collards
- 4 oz (115 g) pork rinds (torresmo) or extra fried bacon bits for topping (optional)
- Chopped fresh parsley or chopped green onion for garnish

Instructions

1. Rinse the dried beans and soak in cold water for 4–8 hours or overnight to reduce cooking time; drain.
2. Place soaked beans in a large pot with 10 cups (2.4 L) fresh water, bay leaves, and 1/2 the chopped onion. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until very tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours; add water if necessary to keep beans submerged.
3. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil or lard over medium heat. Add the diced bacon and cook until it begins to render fat and become crisp, about 6–8 minutes.
4. Add the sliced linguiça and remaining chopped onion to the skillet; sauté until the sausage is browned and the onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in cumin and smoked paprika; remove from heat and set aside.
5. When beans are very soft, remove and discard bay leaves. Reserve about 2 cups (480 ml) of bean cooking liquid. Using a potato masher or immersion blender, mash the beans to a coarse purée, adding reserved cooking liquid a little at a time until creamy but still thick.
6. Return the mashed beans to low heat, stir in the sautéed bacon and sausage mixture, and gradually add farinha de mandioca, 1/2 cup (60 g) at a time, stirring constantly until you reach a thick, spoonable consistency—usually 1 1/2 to 2 cups (180–240 g) total depending on desired thickness. Adjust salt and pepper.
7. For the collard greens, heat 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil in a separate pan, add the thinly sliced collards and a pinch of salt, and sauté over medium heat until wilted and tender, about 4–6 minutes. Add a splash of water if needed to finish cooking.
8. To serve, spoon cooked white rice onto plates, ladle generous portions of tutu de feijão over the rice, top with sautéed collards and scatter pork rinds or extra bacon bits and chopped parsley or green onion. Serve hot.
9. Leftovers thicken as they cool; reheat gently with a splash of water or broth to loosen.