Feijoada

The name feijoada derives from the Portuguese word feijo, which means "beans." Feijoada is a black bean stew made with salted and smoked pig and beef products such as carne-seca and smoked hog spareribs. Traditional feijoada includes "less expensive" meats like pig's ears, feet, and tails, as well as beef tongue. The thick, smokey stew is then covered with toasted cassava flour and served with rice, sautéed collard greens or kale, orange slices, and toasted cassava flour (farofa). The lunch is as warm, inviting, filling, and colorful as Cabo Verde's music, people, and culture.

Many vegetables, such as carrots, kale, onion, and peppers, as well as mandioca or potato—sometimes both—may be added to the stew since locals think there can never be too many components in a stew. Serving it over rice is a major variation between the Brazilian and Cape Verdean versions. Only a few dishes are not served with rice in Cape Verde!