Tutu à Mineira

Ingredients

• 500g dried carioca or pinto beans
• 2 bay leaves
• 200g smoked bacon lardons
• 300g pork belly, cut into 2cm cubes, for the torresmo
• 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 180g cassava flour (farinha de mandioca)
• 3 tbsp lard or vegetable oil
• 1 large bunch collard greens (couve), stems removed
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp black pepper
• small bunch parsley, chopped
• 2 spring onions, sliced

Before you cook

• Cover the beans with cold water and soak them for at least 8 hours or overnight, then drain.
• Rub the pork belly cubes with 1 tsp salt and leave them at room temperature for 20 minutes.
• Roll the collard leaves into tight cigars and slice them into the thinnest possible ribbons.
• Chop the onions, garlic, parsley and spring onions.

Steps

1. Put the drained beans in a large pot with the bay leaves, cover with 2 litres of water and bring to the boil.
2. Turn the heat down and simmer the beans for 60 to 90 minutes until they are completely soft, topping up with hot water if they look dry.
3. Ladle the beans and their liquid into a blender in batches and blend to a smooth, loose purée.
4. Put the pork belly cubes into a cold dry frying pan and set it over a medium heat.
5. Fry the pork for 20 to 25 minutes, turning often, until the fat has rendered and the cubes are crisp and golden, then lift them out onto kitchen paper.
6. Pour off all but 3 tbsp of the pork fat and set the pan back on a medium heat.
7. Fry the bacon lardons in that fat for 5 minutes until browned.
8. Add the chopped onion and cook for 6 minutes until soft.
9. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until it smells sweet.
10. Pour in the blended beans and bring them to a gentle simmer.
11. Rain the cassava flour into the beans in a slow stream, whisking constantly so no lumps form.
12. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until the tutu is thick enough to hold the mark of the spoon.
13. Season with salt and black pepper and take the pan off the heat.
14. Boil the eggs for 9 minutes, then cool them under cold water and peel them.
15. Heat the lard in a wide frying pan over a high heat.
16. Add the shredded collard greens with a pinch of salt and toss them for 2 minutes only, until bright green and still crunchy.
17. Spoon the tutu onto plates, top with the crisp pork and bacon and lay the greens alongside.
18. Halve the eggs, set them on top, scatter over parsley and spring onion and serve with white rice.