In Copacabana, I make a Brazilian feijoada that takes its time
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In LaBouffe, I gladly return to a recipe that does not cut corners on time: Brazilian feijoada. It is a dish I associate with all of Brazil, not just with a postcard image of Rio, even though Copacabana comes to mind, with its gentle bustle, its salty late afternoons, and the way the city asks for rhythm without ever losing its warmth. I love this kind of cooking because it does not try to impress. It brings people together, it reassures, it calls for respect—just like the relationships I let into my life. When I cook this recipe, I make it to find a simple balance again: flavour, time, and genuine presence. I start with soaked black beans, then cook them with desalted salt pork, pork belly, smoked sausage, an onion, garlic, a bay leaf, and a little patience. I let everything simmer for a long time over low heat, until the broth becomes rich and the flavours come together without rushing one another. On the side, I prepare white rice, farofa, collard greens quickly sautéed with garlic, and orange wedges. I insist on that final touch because it lightens the dish and gives it its balance. On the palate, I am looking for that very clear Brazilian depth: the blackness of the beans, the smokiness of the meat, the vegetal freshness of the greens, the subtle acidity of the orange. This recipe resembles me more than I often admit. I am reserved, I do not like judgment, and I am drawn to what is honest. In the rhythm of my work as a sound technician, I have learned to listen before making adjustments; in the kitchen, I do the same. I like feijoada because it does not ask you to overdo things. It lets me create silence, watch the cooking, and serve it at just the right moment. Above all, it is a recipe built on trust, and that is exactly what I seek in LaBouffe: an embodied, popular, Brazilian dish that says a great deal without raising its voice.
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Where: BR