The boyos over in The Revenue Office are dead chuffed with themselves. They sent out a press release today stating that they managed to get back €1.1 million from bogey bankers. Not for nothing lads, but Seanie Fitzpatrick has probably dropped that much bread on his gold plated toilet seats. This is exactly the kind of headline that would depress a cheerleader. There is absolutely no doubt about it, Ireland is in financial ruin and the country is led by spineless morons. Our parents and grandparents may tell us that it was much harder in their day, but they never owed so much money as this generation does. And our kids and their kids will still have to bear the brunt of it all.
Many people speak of “green shoots” in the economy – potential opportunities to lift us back to financial greatness and keep us busy in the future. That’s not enough for me. I genuinely need to see good things happening here and now, just so I can keep a smile on my face. Exposing yourself to and learning about other races of people, is one sure fire way to remain inspired and content. And one of the only good things about modern Ireland, is that you can do all that without leaving your own neighbourhood.
It’s all about the foreign student visas. Supposedly, even a course in The Bertie Ahern School of English will get you a work permit for a year or so and that’s how so many types of nationalities are here now. Like for instance, Brazilians. There must be thousands of them floating around Ireland at the moment, counting the days to the start of the World Cup.
If Ireland’s’ political and financial woes are getting you down, then might I recommend a visit to Sabor Brazil on Pleasant Street, Dublin 8 for some gastronomic enlightenment and mood enhancement. I popped in last year and had their feijoada, a Portuguese stew that is the national dish of Brazil now – kinda like their version of our Batterburgers in curry sauce… The feijoada there is delicious and comes with all the trimmings – pan fried cabbage with garlic, pickled chillies, slices of orange and farofa, which is toasted tapioca flour. When I asked them how a good feijoada was made, two members of staff came down to me and told me in great detail how it should be done. We then spoke about their food experiences in Ireland and what other things they liked to eat and drink. Very cool people.
Feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, I lashed out a pot of my own and used the Brazilian staff of The Sugar Club as guinea pigs. Their criticisms were firm but fair (unlike my management skills). Apparently, my beef was overcooked and the stew wasn’t seasoned enough. The following recipe below came from my second attempt, which they happily approved of.
Anyhoo, feijoada is one of the nicest stews you’ll ever have. Well worth giving it a go. And if you’re lucky enough to bag yourself a hot date with a Brazilian and served them a well presented plate of it, that will surely be the dealbreaker.
FEIJOADA
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups of chopped onions
- 2 tablespoons of chopped garlic
- 2 bay leaves
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound Polish sausage(you can’t get the Brazilian ones in Direland, I tried, get the Polish ones instead in any of the Polish stores), sliced 1/4-inch thick
- 1 pound of stewing beef, cubed into half inch pieces
- 1 cup of smoked bacon lardons (Aldi or Lidl do grand ones)
- 1 pound baby back spareribs (also known as shortbacks), cut into individual ribs
- 1 pound black beans, (place the dried beans in a large bowl and cover with cold water; soak the beans overnight in the refrigerator). There is a Brazilian food store on Clarendon St
- 10 cups water or enough to fill the pot
- 4 cups Sautéed collared or kale greens
- Hot sauce
- 4 cups cooked white rice
- Garnish: 1 orange, halved and cut into thin slices and Farofa.
METHOD:
In a large heavy pot, over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onions and garlic. Crush the bay leaves and add to the pan. Season with salt and pepper.
Sauté for 5 minutes. Add the sausage. Continue to cook for 5 minutes. Add the cubed beef and ribs and fry for a few more minutes. Add the beans and water. Bring the liquid to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the beans are tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Adding water as necessary to keep the beans covered.
Using the back of a ladle, mash 1/4 of the beans. Re-season with salt and pepper if needed. Remove the rib bones, at this point the meat from them should be falling off quite nicely.
SERVE WITH:
Loads of boiled rice, sautéed cabbage or kale with chopped garlic going through it and if you want to keep it real then you gotta garnish the plate with orange slices. Then put some farofa on a wee side plate with some of them pickled chillies and hot sauce ( again, buy them in the Brazilian Food store on Clarendon st.). Go the whole hog and make some caipirinhas to lash back with the grub.
I first had this stew years ago in Newark, New Jersey where there has always been a geansaí load of Portuguese and Brazilians. There they fill up half a shotglass with the stew juice, top it up with hot sauce and knock it back so that you can prepare your palette for the main event. Us Jersey folk are naturally hard so I wouldn’t recommend doing that at home…
Post a comment