Feijoada de Choco – How to Make Authentic Portuguese Cuttlefish Bean Stew

Place the dried beans in a large bowl and cover them with water. Let the beans soak for at least 8 hours. After soaking, discard the water.

Transfer the soaked beans to a pot. Add the bay leaves to the pot, then pour in enough fish or shrimp stock to cover the beans. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let the beans simmer for 30 minutes, skimming any foam that rises to the surface every so often.

Place a large pot with a lid over medium heat. Add the diced chouriço and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pot. Cook the chouriço for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it turns golden brown.

Add the diced onions and the remaining olive oil to the pot. Sauté the onions for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until they are softened. Push the onions and chouriço to the side of the pot. Add the roughly chopped garlic to the empty space in the pot and sauté it for about 2 minutes, until it becomes fragrant. Then, stir everything in the pot back together.

Add the sliced carrots, diced tomatoes, and chili flakes to the pot. Season the mixture with a little salt and pepper. Cook the vegetables for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour the white wine into the pot. Stir the mixture and let it cook until you can no longer smell the alcohol. Then, add the cooked beans along with their cooking liquid to the pot. Give the stew a good stir, and if the stew seems too thick, add a splash of water.

Reduce the heat to medium - low. Let the stew simmer for about 25 minutes, stirring it occasionally.

Stir the sliced cuttlefish and shrimp into the stew. Cover the pot with the lid and let the stew cook for about 15 minutes.

Season the stew with salt and black pepper to taste. Garnish the stew with freshly chopped cilantro. Serve the stew with steamed white rice and enjoy!