O Arroz de Feijão com Grelos é a essência da comida de conforto portuguesa. Um prato humilde mas rico em sabor, que aquece a alma e nos transporta para a cozinha das nossas avós. A combinação do feijão cremoso com o amargo dos grelos e o arroz malandrinho, perfumado com salpicão e um bom refogado, faz desta receita um acompanhamento perfeito ou até mesmo um prato principal rústico e delicioso.

Ingredientes

  • 200gr Arroz carolino
  • 100gr Feijão vermelho já demolhado e cozido
  • 50gr Grelos de nabo
  • 3 Rodelas de bom salpicão
  • 1 Folha de louro
  • 30ml Vinho branco,Azeite
  • Sal QB
  • 1 Colher sopa de concentrado de tomate
  • Pimenta preta moída no momento
  • 1 Colher sopa de vinagre de vinho branco
  • 1 Colher sopa de manteiga
  • 1 Cebola finamente picada
  • 3 Dentes de alho
  • 600ml Caldo de carne

Preparação

  1. Faça um puxado com o azeite, o louro, uma rodela de salpicão cortada em cubinhos, a cebola e dois alhos picados.
  2. Refresque com o vinho branco, deixe evaporar o alcool, acrescente o arroz mexendo durante dois minutos.
  3. Adicione ao arroz o caldo de carne bem quente, o feijão e deixe cozer 20 minutos rectificando com sal.
  4. Entretanto, salteie os grelos num fio de azeite e um dente de alho finamente picado e reserve.
  5. Dois minutos antes da cozedura do arroz, acrescente os grelos salteados, a manteiga, o vinagre e a pimenta preta.
  6. Coloque o arroz numa taça bonita decorando com duas rodelas de salpicão e um pé de salsa.

Ready for a bowl of pure Portuguese comfort? Here’s the English recipe for this soulful dish.

Bean and Turnip Green Rice

This dish, often simply called “Arroz de Feijão,” is a cornerstone of Portuguese home cooking. It’s a hearty, soulful, and deeply satisfying “arroz malandrinho” (wet or soupy rice) that perfectly embodies the rustic and flavourful nature of the country’s cuisine. It’s the kind of food that warms you from the inside out, often served as a substantial side dish to accompany grilled meats, fried fish, or roasted chicken, but it is more than robust enough to be enjoyed as a simple main course on its own.

The magic of this dish lies in the classic combination of earthy red beans and slightly bitter turnip greens (*grelos*), all brought together in a creamy, flavour-infused rice. The initial *refogado* (sofrito), enriched with a slice of smoky *salpicão* (a traditional cured pork sausage), builds a wonderful depth of flavour. The final touches of butter and white wine vinegar might seem unusual, but they are key to balancing the dish, adding richness and a subtle tang that cuts through the creaminess of the rice and beans.

This recipe uses *Arroz Carolino*, a Portuguese short-grain rice ideal for creating a creamy texture, but Arborio rice is a great substitute. If you can’t find turnip greens, you could use spring greens, kale, or broccoli rabe. Likewise, a good quality Spanish chorizo can stand in for the *salpicão*. The key is to serve it immediately while it’s still hot and wonderfully soupy.

Ingredients

  • 200g Carolino rice (or Arborio)
  • 100g cooked red kidney beans
  • 50g turnip greens
  • 3 slices of good quality salpicão (or smoked chorizo)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 30ml white wine
  • Olive oil
  • Salt, to taste
  • 1 tbsp tomato concentrate (purée)
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves of garlic
  • 600ml hot beef stock

Method

  1. First, prepare the flavour base. In a large pot or casserole dish, heat a generous drizzle of olive oil. Add the bay leaf, one slice of salpicão finely diced, the chopped onion, and two chopped garlic cloves. Sauté gently until the onion is soft and translucent.
  2. Deglaze the pan with the white wine, allowing the alcohol to evaporate. Add the rice, stirring continuously for two minutes to toast the grains.
  3. Pour the hot beef stock over the rice, add the cooked kidney beans and the tomato concentrate. Stir well, season with salt, and let it cook over a medium-low heat for about 20 minutes, or until the rice is nearly done.
  4. Meanwhile, sauté the turnip greens. In a separate frying pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil, add one finely chopped garlic clove, and cook the greens for a few minutes until just wilted. Set aside.
  5. Two minutes before the rice is finished cooking, stir in the sautéed turnip greens, the butter, the vinegar, and a good grinding of black pepper.
  6. Serve the rice immediately in a large bowl, garnished with the two remaining slices of salpicão and a sprig of parsley.