Maniçoba

Name: Maniçoba
Cook time: 230 min
Total time: 230 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Brazilian
Ingredients: 1 kg Maniva, Finely ground cassava/manioc leaves; pre-washed or frozen; 3 l Water, Plus more as needed; 500g Carne-Seca, Salt-cured beef; cut in chunks; desalted; 800g Pork Ribs, Smoked or salted; cut into pieces; desalting if salted; 1 Pork Foot, Salted; about 400 g; cut; desalted; 1 Pork Ear, Salted; about 200 g; desalted; 1 Pork Tail, Salted; about 300 g; desalted; 200g Bacon, Smoked pork belly; cut in chunks; 2 Calabresa Sausages, About 300 g total; sliced; 2 Paio Sausages, About 300 g total; sliced; 1 large Onion, Chopped; 4 cloves of Garlic, Minced; 2 leaves of Bay Leaf; 2 tbsp Lard, Or neutral oil; 1 tsp Pepper (Black); 2 cups Long-Grain White Rice, Uncooked; 4 cups Water, For rice; 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil, For rice; 1 tsp Salt, For rice; 2 cups Cassava Flour, Toasted; farinha de mandioca; for farofa; 2 tbsp Butter, For farofa; 1 small Onion, Finely chopped; for farofa; Some Salt, To taste; added only after meats are desalted; Some Brazilian Hot Pepper Sauce, Molho de pimenta; to taste

Maniçoba is a rich, deeply savory Brazilian stew made from tender pork, smoked sausages and the uniquely earthy [maniva] flavor, slowly cooked until the leaves turn dark and the broth becomes silky. It’s a comforting, communal dish—robust, smoky and best served with white rice and a toasty cassava farofa to soak up every flavorful spoonful.

Maniçoba is a rich, deeply savory Brazilian stew made from tender pork, smoked sausages and the uniquely earthy [maniva] flavor, s... Show more

Traditional Brazilian Recipe

Health Grade

D+ · Occasional

Time

3 hrs30 min

Price

6,83 €

Calories

1316 kcal

one pot

gluten free

high protein

low sugar

Method

Desalt the meats

If the Carne-Seca, Pork Ribs, Pork Foot, Pork Ear, or Pork Tail are still quite salty, cover them with cold water and soak them in the fridge overnight, changing the water a few times. Drain them well before cooking.

Prep the stew

Chop the Onion, mince the Garlic, cut the Bacon into chunks if needed, and slice the Calabresa Sausage and Paio Sausage. Pat the desalted meats dry and cut any large pieces into spoon-friendly chunks so they’ll brown evenly.

Brown the meats

Heat the Lard, about 2 tablespoons, in a very large pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until it starts to render, then stir in the onion and garlic and cook until fragrant and softened. Add the desalted meats and sausages, plus the Bay Leaf and Pepper, and cook for a few minutes, stirring, until everything is lightly browned and coated in fat.

Simmer the maniçoba

Add the Maniva to the pot, pour in about 3 liters of Water to cover everything well, and bring it to a boil. If the maniva is frozen, break it up as it softens in the hot liquid. Lower the heat to a very gentle simmer and cook 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally and adding a splash more water if the stew looks too thick or starts to catch. Taste near the end and add Salt only if it truly needs it.

Cook the rice

While the maniçoba simmers, cook the rice in a separate saucepan. Combine the Long-Grain White Rice, 4 cups water, Vegetable Oil, and a little salt in the pan. Bring it to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook 15 minutes until the water is absorbed. Turn off the heat and let it sit 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

Toast the farofa

Meanwhile, melt the Butter, about 2 tablespoons, in a skillet over medium heat. Add the remaining small onion and cook until soft and lightly golden, then stir in the Cassava Flour and toast, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes until the farofa smells nutty and looks sandy. Taste and add a pinch of salt if needed.

Serve it

Ladle the maniçoba into bowls with the rice, spoon the farofa over or alongside it, and set out Brazilian Hot Pepper Sauce at the table so everyone can add heat to taste.