Maniçoba

Thoroughly wash the Maniva, remove any tough stems and chop or shred the leaves; place them in a large pot, cover with plenty of Water, bring to a rolling boil for 10 minutes, drain and repeat 2–3 times to remove bitterness.

Rinse and soak the Carne-Seca in cold water overnight, changing the water at least once to remove excess salt.

In a large stockpot combine the drained carne-seca, Pork Ribs, Pork Foot, Pork Ear and Pork Tail with fresh Water to cover; add the Bay Leaf, bring to a gentle simmer, skim any foam and cook until the meats are beginning to soften (about 1.5–2 hours).

While the meats simmer, peel and chop the Onion and mince the Garlic.

Heat the Lard in a skillet, brown the Bacon, then add sliced Calabresa Sausage and Paio Sausage and cook until caramelized; transfer these browned meats into the pot with the simmering pork.

Sauté half the chopped onion and the garlic in the skillet until translucent and fragrant, then stir these aromatics into the pot so their flavor infuses the broth.

Drain the pre-boiled maniva and add it to the pot; continue to simmer gently until the leaves lose their raw taste, darken and the broth thickens—this can take several more hours (a slow, gentle simmer yields the best texture).

Toward the end of cooking, season carefully with Salt and freshly ground Black Pepper, tasting as you go so the stew isn’t over-salted (remember some smoked meats can still add salt).

Prepare the rice: rinse the Long-Grain White Rice; heat a little Vegetable Oil in a saucepan, sauté a bit of the remaining onion, add the rice and toast briefly, then add Water and a pinch of Salt, cover and cook until fluffy.

Make a simple farofa: melt the Butter in a skillet, sauté the remaining Onion until soft, stir in the Cassava Flour and toast until golden; finish with a splash of Brazilian Hot Pepper Sauce if you like a spicy brightness.

When the meat is very tender and the maniçoba has a rich, thick consistency, remove large bones, chop the meats into serving pieces, return them to the pot and simmer briefly to meld flavors.

Serve the maniçoba piping hot with the white rice and farofa on the side, and offer extra hot sauce at the table for anyone who wants more heat.