Baiao de Dois

Ingredients

• 300 g dried feijão-de-corda (cowpeas or black-eyed beans)
• 300 g long-grain rice
• 350 g carne de sol
• 150 g smoked bacon, diced
• 200 g queijo coalho, cut into 1 cm cubes
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 tbsp manteiga de garrafa or clarified butter
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 bunch coriander, chopped
• 1 bunch spring onions, sliced
• 1 litre water for the beans
• Salt and black pepper

Before you cook

• Soak the cowpeas in plenty of cold water for four hours, then drain them.
• Soak the carne de sol in cold water for one hour, changing the water twice, then pat it dry and cut it into cubes.
• Rinse the rice until the water runs clear and leave it to drain.

Steps

1. Put the drained cowpeas in a pot with the litre of water and the bay leaves.
2. Simmer them for 35 minutes, until tender but not collapsing.
3. Drain the beans and keep 700 ml of the cooking liquid.
4. Heat one tablespoon of the manteiga de garrafa in a wide heavy pan over high heat.
5. Fry the carne de sol cubes for six minutes, until browned at the edges, then lift them out.
6. Add the bacon to the pan and fry it for five minutes, until crisp.
7. Lower the heat, add the onion and garlic and cook them for four minutes.
8. Stir in the drained rice and turn it in the fat for two minutes.
9. Return the beans and the browned meat to the pan.
10. Pour in the reserved bean liquid and season with salt and pepper.
11. Bring it to a boil, then cover and cook over the lowest heat for 18 minutes.
12. Turn off the heat and leave the pan covered for ten minutes without lifting the lid.
13. Fork through the remaining manteiga de garrafa, the coriander and the spring onions.
14. Scatter the queijo coalho cubes over the hot rice, cover for two minutes to soften them and serve.