Baião de Dois — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A rustic, creamy dish of rice and beans cooked together with coalho cheese, butter, and herbs from the Brazilian northeast — sertanejo cowboy food at its most satisfying.

Ingredients

2 cups long-grain rice
1 cup green beans (feijão-verde) or black-eyed peas, cooked
200g coalho cheese (or halloumi), cubed
3 tbsp butter
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
200g dried beef (carne seca), soaked, boiled, and shredded
4 cups water or bean broth
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 bunch green onions, sliced
Salt and pepper

Instructions

1 If using carne seca, soak it overnight, drain, boil for 20 minutes, then shred.
2 Melt butter in a large heavy pot. Sauté onion and garlic until golden.
3 Add shredded dried beef and cook for 3 minutes to brown slightly.
4 Add rice and stir for 2 minutes to toast the grains.
5 Add cooked beans and water or bean broth. Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.
6 Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 18-20 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.
7 Fold in cubed coalho cheese, cilantro, and green onions. The cheese should soften but not fully melt. Serve immediately.

Did You Know?

Baião de dois is named after the baião, a traditional northeastern Brazilian music and dance rhythm made famous by Luiz Gonzaga, the King of Baião, connecting food and music in Nordestino culture.