Christmas Farofa
Farofa de Natal is a Brazilian dish, served at Christmas and New Year's Eve dinner and lunch. It is made with cornmeal or cassava flour fried in butter.
Ingredients · Servings 8
- 200 grams of flaked cornmeal ("biju")
- 100 grams of bacon
- 150 grams of Calabrese sausage or Portuguese chorizo
- 120 grams of red or green bell pepper ((1 small bell pepper))
- 120 grams of onion ((1 medium onion))
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 60 grams of unsalted butter
- 60 grams of light raisins
- 3 medium eggs
- 20 grams of parsley
- 1 teaspoon of salt (depends on how salty the other ingredients are)
- 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
Method · 30 min
- Cook the egg: cook the eggs for 10 minutes in boiling water (low heat, gentle simmer); peel and cut into small pieces.
- To prepare: cut the bacon into small cubes/strips, cut the calabrese sausage into thin slices, cut the onion and bell pepper into small cubes, and finely chop the garlic and parsley.
- Frying the bacon: place a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat and fry the bacon until it begins to release its fat (about 1 minute).
- Frying the sausage: add the sausage (or chorizo) and fry until lightly browned (about 2 minutes). Do not let it dry out.
- Sauté: Add the chopped paprika, chopped onion, chopped garlic, and butter and sauté for about 1 to 2 minutes, until the onion is translucent and slightly softened.
- Fry the flour: add the flour and stir well to combine it with the butter; fry, stirring constantly, until the flour is crispy (about 2 minutes).
- Add other ingredients: turn off the heat; add the egg, raisins, and parsley and mix well.
- Add seasonings: check the salt; we suggest adding 1 teaspoon of salt, but this will depend on the amount of salt added by the bacon and sausage; also add black pepper. Serve hot or cold.
Christmas Farofa Recipe
Our Christmas Farofa recipe is made with flaked cornmeal (“biju”) fried in butter and the fat from bacon and Calabrian sausage (or Portuguese chorizo). Its flavor is only slightly sweetened by the presence of raisins. For a more sophisticated version, we suggest replacing the raisins (or adding them) with pieces of apricot.
- Medium or large pot with a thick bottom.
