Portuguese Beans Recipes

PORTUGUESE SAUSAGE AND BEAN STEW

Steps:

• If using dried beans, add the beans to a large bowl, cover by 2 inches with cold water and let soak for at least 8 hours, or overnight. Drain and set aside. If using canned beans, drain and rinse.
• Add the bacon, if using, to a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and cook until browned and crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon and set aside. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the fat and return the skillet to the stovetop. Add the sausage and cook until browned. With a slotted spoon, remove the sausage to a bowl and reserve.
• Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the skillet and return to the stove over medium heat. When the fat shimmers, add the onion and garlic, stir to coat in fat, and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
• Add the potatoes and stir to coat in the tomato paste. Add the beans, chorizo, and all remaining ingredients, except the bacon, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the flavors have melded and the dried beans are cooked through, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Crumble the bacon into beans, and season with additional salt, if needed. Remove the bay leaf, transfer the beans to a serving bowl and serve.

EASY PORTUGUESE-STYLE BEAN SOUP

Steps:

• Place the first 20 ingredients in a 7-qt. slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low 7-9 hours or until vegetables are tender. Remove bay leaves and orange and lemon zest strips., Transfer 4 cups soup to a blender; cool slightly. Cover; process until smooth. Return to slow cooker; add green onions, cilantro and parsley. Heat through., Freeze option: Freeze cooled soup in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally; add a little broth if necessary.

PORTUGUESE FAVAS

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Saute onion and garlic until golden brown. Stir in red pepper flakes, tomato sauce, hot water, parsley, salt, pepper and paprika. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Gently stir in fava beans. Remove from heat and let stand for several minutes to allow flavors to meld.

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.

AZORE-STYLE FEIJOS (BEANS)

Steps:

• *NOTE: Can also substitute sausage for the bacon or ham hock. Portuguese linguica, Spanish chorizo or Louisiana andouille, vegetarian "soyrizo", 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 castiron skillet.
• Soak the beans overnight. Cook the bacon or ham hock and drain on paper towel. Next saute the onion and garlic. Once cooled, break up the bacon into little pieces.
• 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.
• If using a crock pot simmer on low 8 hours or until beans are soft. Salt the beans once cooked.
• 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 CHOURICO, BEANS, AND RICE

Steps:

• Bring the water to a boil in a pot; stir the rice into the boiling water, reduce heat to low, place cover on the pot, and allow the rice to cook until all the moisture is absorbed, about 30 minutes.
• As the rice cooks, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the chourico in the hot oil for 2 minutes. Add the onions and garlic to the sausage and continue cooking until the vegetables are soft and the chourico has browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Stir the tomato sauce into the chourico mixture. Reduce heat to low. Season with the red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper; simmer until thoroughly heated, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir the fava beans into the mixture and continue cooking just long enough for the beans to heat, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve over rice.

PORTUGUESE BEAN STEW (FEIJAO A PORTUGUESA)

Steps:

• Soak beans in cold water to cover by 2 inches 8 hours.
• Cook bacon in a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Spoon off (and discard) all but about 3 tablespoons fat in pot. Cook onion in reserved fat over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until golden, 7 to 9 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring, until it begins to turn golden.
• Drain beans and add to onion mixture with remaining ingredients (except bacon). Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hours. (Older beans will take longer to cook and require more water during cooking.) Crumble bacon into beans and season with salt and pepper before serving.