Brazilian Pork Stew with Corn Dumplings

Name: Brazilian Pork Stew with Corn Dumplings
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 2 h 35 min
Total time: 3 h
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: brazilian
Ingredients: 900g pork shoulder cut into 4cm chunks; 2 tbsp sunflower oil; 2 onions finely chopped; 2 celery sticks, finely chopped; 3 bay leaves; 1 tbsp oregano leaves (or 2 tsp dried), plus extra, to serve; 1 tbsp ground cumin; 1 tbsp ground coriander; 1 tbsp allspice; 1 stock cube (beef, pork or chicken); 2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes; 1 tbsp cocoa powder; 2 tbsp soft dark brown or muscovado sugar; 3 tbsp red wine vinegar; zest and juice 2 oranges; 2 red chillies halved lengthways - seeds in or out, depending on whether you like it spicy; bunch spring onions finely sliced; 400g sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 3-4cm/1.25in - 1.5in chunks; 2 red peppers deseeded and cut into chunks; 2 x 400g cans black beans drained and rinsed; 100g cold butter diced; 200g self-raising flour; 140g cornmeal or finely ground polenta, plus extra for dusting; 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 140g sweetcorn from a can, drained, or freshly cut from a cob (just boil for 3 mins first); 75ml buttermilk; 1 medium egg beaten

4.60 (46)

⏱ 180 mins 🍽 Serves 6 🌶 brazilian ✅ Easy 🏷 Main course

This is a streamlined version of the classic Brazilian feijoada, prepared in a single pot. Pork shoulder is browned then simmered with aromatic spices, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, and peppers. The stew is topped with cornmeal dumplings and baked until golden. It is served with a fresh, chilled relish of spring onions, chilli, and orange for a vibrant finish. This recipe serves six people and requires about 180 minutes to prepare and cook.

Ingredients

900g pork shoulder cut into 4cm chunks
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 onions finely chopped
2 celery sticks, finely chopped
3 bay leaves
1 tbsp oregano leaves (or 2 tsp dried), plus extra, to serve
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp allspice
1 stock cube (beef, pork or chicken)
2 x 400g cans chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp soft dark brown or muscovado sugar
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
zest and juice 2 oranges
2 red chillies halved lengthways - seeds in or out, depending on whether you like it spicy
bunch spring onions finely sliced
400g sweet potatoes peeled and cut into 3-4cm/1.25in - 1.5in chunks
2 red peppers deseeded and cut into chunks
2 x 400g cans black beans drained and rinsed
100g cold butter diced
200g self-raising flour
140g cornmeal or finely ground polenta, plus extra for dusting
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
140g sweetcorn from a can, drained, or freshly cut from a cob (just boil for 3 mins first)
75ml buttermilk
1 medium egg beaten

Method

Heat the sunflower oil in a large flameproof casserole and brown the pork shoulder pieces in batches, then set them aside. Add most of the chopped onions, the celery, bay leaves, and oregano to the pot, frying until they soften.
Stir the ground cumin, coriander, and allspice into the vegetables for 1 min. Add the pork back in, then crumble in the stock cube. Pour in the chopped tomatoes, cocoa powder, brown sugar, 2 tbsp red wine vinegar, the zest and juice from 1 orange, and three chilli halves. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 1 hr.
Chop the remaining chilli half and combine it with the reserved onions, the sliced spring onions, the remaining red wine vinegar, and the zest and juice from the second orange. Refrigerate this mixture.
After 1 hr, add the sweet potato and red pepper chunks to the stew. Cover it again and let it simmer for 30 mins more.
About 15 mins before the stew finishes, prepare the dumpling dough. Rub the cold butter into the self-raising flour. Mix in the cornmeal, bicarbonate of soda, and drained sweetcorn. Stir in the buttermilk and most of the beaten egg to form a soft dough. Shape into 12 dumplings, dust their tops with extra cornmeal, and brush with the reserved egg.
Preheat your oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Stir the drained black beans into the stew and check the seasoning. Place six dumplings on top of the stew and the rest on a lined baking tray. Bake uncovered for 25 mins until the dumplings are golden and puffed.
Take the stew directly to the table. Scatter over some extra oregano leaves. Serve the stew in bowls with the additional dumplings and the chilled onion relish on the side.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories886 kcal

Fat33 g

Saturates14 g

Carbs95 g

Sugars26 g

Fibre14 g

Protein44 g

Sodium760 mg

Salt1 g

Recipe details

Skill levelEasy

CategoryMain course

Cuisinebrazilian