It’s one of the most basic recipes in Brazilian cooking, but the subtly of the bacon, onion and garlic flavors make all the difference. Black beans and rice can be served as a staple side dish with almost any meal or as a main course.

Brazilian Black Beans

Ingredients
  • 2 pounds dried black beans
  • 8 cups waters, plus 4 cups for soaking
  • 1 tablespoon canola oil
  • 3 ounces bacon, sliced in 1/4″ strips
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, crushed
  • salt and pepper to taste

Soak the dried beans in 4 cups of water overnight. Rinse and pour the beans into a large pan, cover with 8 cups of water and cook over medium heat for about an hour or until tender.

In a saucepan, fry the bacon until crisp. Pull the bacon from the pan and set aside. Add the oil to the remaining bacon grease and saute the chopped onion and crushed garlic until translucent. Stir in the bacon and add this mixture to the beans along with salt and pepper to taste. Stir and leave it to cook until the sauce thickens, adding a small amount of water if necessary.

Brazilian White Rice

Ingredients
  • 4 cups long grain white rice
  • 1 tablespoon onion, finely chopped
  • 1 small garlic clove, crushed
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 7 cups hot water

Rinse the rice twice to lessen the starch. Saute the onion and garlic in the oil until translucent. Add the rice and stir until it just starts to stick to the pan, about 2 minutes. Add the water and salt to taste. Cover and cook on low heat for 30 minutes, until the water has evaporated and the rice is tender when forked. The secret to perfect rice – make sure not to open the lid while cooking!