I’ve been meaning to get this post up for a while. As you may know, I love sports. I take it to the next level by sometimes making meals along the lines of eat ‘em and beat ‘em. This all started back when the Nats won the World Series. Most of the time it works! Typically, the only time it doesn’t work is when the US men’s national soccer team is playing. But that’s on them, not me! Hopefully with Mauricio Pochettino now at the helm, things will change.
But, let’s talk about the better half of the US Soccer program, the women. Aside from last year’s World Cup, they rarely disappoint. This revamped squad, under new coach Emma Hayes, has shone brightly and portends good things for the future. They took on Brazil in the gold medal game of the Olympics a couple weeks ago so I did my part and made a Brazilian brunch. As soon as I plated up my food, into the early portion of the second half, Mallory Swanson (Pugh) scored and they went on to win…so, I’m just saying #eatemandbeatem works! This meal was absolutely delicious too. Grilled steak topped with Brazilian vinaigrette, a fried egg, and then smoky black beans on rice topped with farofa? It had everything and now you can have it all too. Just grill up a marbled sirloin steak to medium-rare and fry up an egg while the steak rests. The beans take a while, but in the meantime, you can make the farofa and vinaigrette.
Brazilian Black Beans
1 lb bag of dried black beans, soaked in 4 cups of water overnight in a pot
2 smoked ham hocks
Onion halved
2 cloves garlic, smashed
2 bay leaves
Cumin
Set the soaked beans on the stove and add the hocks, onion, garlic, and bay leaves.
Bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer until the beans are tender, about 90 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the farofa and vinaigrette (recipe below).
Once the beans are nearly ready, season them with salt and pepper and about a teaspoon of
cumin. Stir until incorporated.
When the beans are ready, remove the bay leaves and onion halves. Serve over white rice.
Brazilian Vinaigrette (pico de gallo)
1 green bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
Small white onion
Large ripe tomato
¼ cup white wine vinegar
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Finely dice the vegetables and place them in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
Add in the vinegar and oil and stir to combine.
Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
Stir once more before serving atop a grilled steak.
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Copyright 2024, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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