📖 Instructions

1. First things first, prep your ingredients! Wash and chop your asparagus into 2-inch pieces. Rinse your beans (if using dry beans, ensure they are pre-soaked overnight). Finely chop the onions, garlic, and bell peppers. Give your pork (or your chosen substitute) a good chop, too. Remember to trim excess fat from the pork if desired, but I like to leave a little bit for flavor.
2. Next, heat up your dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add a good splash of olive oil—enough to coat the bottom of the pot. Once hot, add the pork chunks and sear them until they are nicely browned. This gives them a delicious crust and helps deepen the flavor of the stew. Remember, browning in stages is great if you have a lot of pork!
3. Once the pork is browned, remove it from the pot and set aside. Reduce the heat to medium and add the chopped onions, garlic, and bell pepper to the pot. Cook these until they soften and become slightly translucent—about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Don’t rush this step—it's crucial for building a great base of flavor for your feijoada.
4. Now, it's time for the spices! Stir in your smoked paprika, cumin, bay leaves, and a good pinch of cayenne pepper (if you're feeling daring!). Cook these for another minute or so, allowing the aroma to fully blossom. This is my favorite part—I love to smell all the spices combining into one magnificent scent!
5. Add your tomatoes, orange slices and the pre-soaked beans to the pot. Stir everything together nicely. Pour in enough beef broth to cover all ingredients, then add your already browned pork back into the pot. Bring it all to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and let it simmer gently for at least 2 hours, or even longer if time allows. The longer it simmers, the richer the flavors will become. Seriously, 3 hours is even better!
6. After the feijoada has been simmering for a while, carefully add your asparagus to the pot. Cook it until tender-crisp. This will only take about 10-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the asparagus. You don't want mushy asparagus! Check it frequently.
7. Once the asparagus is cooked, taste your feijoada and adjust the seasoning as needed. You might want to add a touch more salt, pepper, or even a squeeze of lime juice. Remember, taste is king!
8. Before serving, remove the bay leaves. Ladle the feijoada into bowls and garnish with a sprinkle of fresh cilantro. Enjoy your delicious, heartwarming, Feijoada with Asparagus! Don’t forget to tell me how it goes!