A Word From The Other Parsimonious Chef...: Let's Be Neighborly... Frango A' Passarinho & Feijoada...

There are certain dishes that promote a sense of neighborliness. Food that you cook in abundance often times requires or suggests that you invite folks over and "chop it up" (talk) for a while. There's a place in DC that I go to whenever I feel that way. The Grill From Ipanema, a Brazilian restaurant, is a place that begs for you to sit out on the patio, eat great food, have flavorful drinks and meet everyone on the patio. With so many dishes to choose from, there's something for everyone, but what I normally do is have a Caipirinha, order Frango A Passarhino and then finish it all off with Feijoada.

On the Menu Today: Frango A' Passarinho & Feijoada...

Frango A' Passarinho

Feijoada

Frango A' Passarinho is fried chicken with this distinction; it is first cut into small pieces, kept on the bone for flavor and marinated in tons of garlic, olive oil and lemon juice before dusting with flour and deep frying until crispy then served with a spicy sauce for dipping. Feijoada is a bean and meat stew that is slow cooked for hours and well worth the wait and effort.

Frango
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cooking Time: 5-7 Minutes
Sauce Prep: 5 Minutes

Ingredients For Chicken

Whole Chicken (1 each)
Garlic Chunks ( 1/2 cup)
Lemon Juice (1/2 cup)
Olive Oil (2 Tbs)
Flour (1/2 cup)
Lemon-Salt (2 Tbs)

Start off by cutting the chicken into small bite sized portions (bone in), or you can get the butcher at your local grocery store to do it for you as you purchase it. Make the marinade by adding the garlic, olive oil and lemon juice together and pouring over the chicken, allowing it to marinate for 30 minutes to 1.5 hours. Meanwhile add the lemon-salt to the flour and taste for flavor. Once the chicken is marinated to your liking, take the chicken out of the marinade and lightly dust with the flour mixture. Deep fry in a fryer that has been preheated to 350 degrees until crispy. Once all of the chicken is done add the garlic chunks, from the marinade to the fryer to caramelize (This won't take more than 45 seconds). Add the chicken and garlic to a bowl, add salt and toss to mix. Serve on a plate with a bowl of dipping sauce.

Sauce In Food Processor

Dipping Sauce Ingredients

Lemon Juice (1/4 cup)
Lime Juice (3 Tbs)
Sugar (3 Tbs)
Garlic (3 Tbs)
Green Onions (2 each)
Dijon Mustard ( 2 Tbs)
Red Wine Vinegar (2 Tbs)
Fresh Basil (1 bunch)
Oregano (1 Tbs)
Blood Orange (1-2 sections)
Caper Berries (8-9 each)
Olive Oil (1/3 cup)
Salt & Pepper (TT)

Add all ingredient to a food processor except for the olive oil and blend until mixed. Slowly pour in the olive oil until the sauce is thickened. More Mustard and oil can be added as an emulsifier.

Dipping Sauce

Frango

Feijoada
Prep Time: Overnight Soak
Cooking Time: 5-8 hours in Crock Pot

Ingredients

Black beans (32 oz)
Garlic (4 Tbs)
Onions (2-3 each)
Bay Leaf (5-7 each)
Salt & Pepper (TT)
Ham Hocks (3-5 each)
Chicken Stock (64 oz)
Pork Belly Pieces (1 #)
Linguica (5-6 each)
Oregano (3 Tbs)

Start off by soaking the beans overnight. Drain in the morning and start off by adding the beans, ham hocks, bay leaves, water and 32 oz of chicken stock along with enough water to cover the beans. Cook on high for 30 minutes, then reduce the heat, cover and cook on simmer until done. *This will take at least 3 hours so leave them alone until at least 3.5 hours.

Meanwhile in a cast iron skillet, cook the roughly chopped or cut meat until crusty. Turn down the heat and add the onions, garlic, oregano and a bit of salt and pepper. Set aside, to be placed into the soup for the last 45 minutes of cooking.

*Once the beans are ready for consumption, take out a cup full cooked beans to add to a blender and add the 16-32 oz of chicken stock to the blender. Mix and place back into the crock pot, fold in the cooked meat and allow to cook for that last 45 minutes to an hour. Salt once done and eat with white rice. Serve as a soup or stew with a sliced orange on top. I chose to use a Blood Orange in the picture below.

Serving Size

Bean Condiments: green onions, oranges, cilantro & spiced cornmeal

Sauteed Collard Greens Ingredients

Collard Green (1 bag pre-washed)
Garlic (2 Tbs)
Olive Oil (2 Tbs)
Red Chili Flake (TT)
Salt & Pepper (TT)
Chicken Stock (1/2 cup)

Start by cutting the greens into small strips. Next add the oil to a wok or saute pan with the heat on high. Add the greens to wilt and reduce heat to add the garlic to brown slightly. Next add the chicken stock and cover for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add salt, pepper and chili flake to finish.