Olá

When my boys were teenagers, they spent a month doing short-term missions work in Brazil. They truly loved the people, the culture, and the food. While they were there, one of the foods they ate regularly was Brazilian beans and rice. Though happy to be home after a long journey, they found themselves craving this dish that they had enjoyed so much.



Shortly after, I had occasion to meet a Brazilian girl who was working in the States as an au pair. She was terribly homesick. One of the things she missed was being able to prepare food from her homeland. How fortuitous! To make a long story short, we got together and she taught me how to make her "mommy's" recipe. It was a win-win situation and a wonderful evening of food and fellowship. It's been a family favorite for years. There must be a million variations on this dish. Here's the way we make it:

4 cups of pinto beans soaked overnight
3 green peppers
1 large onion
2 cloves of garlic
salt pork
rice

When you're ready to cook, drain the beans and pour them into a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Cover them with fresh water. To keep it easy, I chop the peppers, onion, and garlic together in a food processor. I used 2 pablanos and a sweet pepper because that's what I had on hand. Add them to the pot with the water and the beans, along with a hunk of salt pork. Salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Cook until beans are tender. Serve over rice. Garlicky broccoli rabe makes a nice accompaniment.