Baião de Dois Ceará with string beans and coalho cheese

In this version of baião de Dois, green beans or fresh string beans are the axis of the preparation. The rice cooks in the bean broth and the coalho cheese turns golden at the end, to maintain visible cubes and texture contrast. Charque and sausage are variations, without dominating the base of rice, beans and cheese.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of fresh green beans or string beans, shelled (about 350 g)

• 1.2 liters of water

• 1 bay leaf

• 1 1/2 cup (tea) white needle rice (about 270 g)

• 2 tablespoons of bottled butter (30 ml), divided

• 1 medium onion, chopped

• 3 cloves of garlic, chopped

• 1 level teaspoon of salt, or to taste, divided

• 200 g of coalho cheese, cut into 1.5 to 2 cm cubes

• 3 tablespoons of sliced chives

• 3 tablespoons chopped coriander

• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preparation method

1. Cook the beans

Place the green beans in a medium pan with the water, bay leaves and half the salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower to medium heat and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the grains are soft inside but still whole. Drain over a bowl and reserve the beans and all the broth separately.

2. Brown the curd cheese

Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the cubes of curd cheese and let it brown for

3 to 5 minutes, turning when they come off the bottom. Remove as soon as they are golden on more than one side, but still firm, and set aside.

3. Make the rice base

In a wide pan, heat 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Sauté the onion for about 4 minutes, until wilted. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Add the rice and sauté for 1 minute to coat the grains in the fat.

4. Cook the rice in the bean broth

Measure 3 cups (tea) of the reserved broth and place it in the pan while it is still hot. Add the rest of the salt, mix once and cook over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until the liquid comes close to the level of the rice. Lower the heat, partially cover and cook for about 10 minutes.

5. Add the beans and adjust the humidity

Spread the cooked beans over the rice and mix gently. If the pan is dry before the rice is tender, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup (tea) of the reserved broth. Cover and cook for another 4 to 6 minutes, until the rice is tender and there is still slight moisture between the grains.

6. Finish with cheese and herbs

Turn off the heat, cover and let rest for 5 minutes. Loosen the baião gently with a fork or spatula. Add the remaining spoon of butter, golden curd cheese, chives and coriander. Season with black pepper, taste and adjust salt only if necessary. Serve immediately.

Right spot / how to know it’s ready

The rice should be soft, but with defined grains; the beans need to remain whole and creamy inside. The baião is moist and shiny, with no juice accumulated at the bottom and no dry appearance. When passing the spoon, the mixture slowly settles again, and the cheese cubes remain visible, golden on the outside and slightly soft on the inside.

Tips for the recipe to work out

Don't overcook the beans

As it returns to the pan with the rice, remove it from the first cooking as soon as it is soft and whole. Overcooked beans fall apart in the mixture and make the baião pasty.

Reserve more broth than seems necessary

Absorption varies depending on the rice and the intensity of the heat. Having hot broth set aside allows you to correct the moisture without diluting the flavor with cold water.

Grow the cheese before mixing

Well-sealed coalho cheese maintains its shape better. If added raw and too early, it may release moisture, stick together or fall apart in the mixture.

Add the salt at the end

Coalho cheese and bottled butter can vary greatly in salinity. Use little salt when cooking and adjust only after incorporating the cheese.

Substitutions and variations

Fresh green beans can be replaced with black-eyed peas or dried string beans that have been cooked until soft and whole. The flavor and texture change a little, and the cooking time will be longer for dry beans.

If you can't find bottled butter, use regular butter or neutral oil. The recipe remains functional, but loses part of the characteristic aroma of bottled butter.

Standard Minas cheese can replace coalho cheese as a last resort, but it tends to melt more and keep the cubes less. Brown quickly and mix only at the end.

For an enriched version, separately brown 150 to 200 g of desalted and cooked beef jerky or diced sausage and add it before finishing. This variation makes the dish more intense and salty; reduce the salt in the base and preserve beans, rice and cheese as the main structure.

How to store

Transfer leftovers to shallow containers and refrigerate without waiting for the dish to cool completely at room temperature. Keep refrigerated and consume within 3 days. To freeze, divide into portions and use preferably within 30 days; the cheese may be a little firmer or crumblier after thawing. Reheat only the portion that will be consumed, until hot and steaming.

How to serve / side dishes

Serve the baião de Dois still hot as an accompaniment to grilled vegetables, sun-dried meat, roast chicken or fish. For a simpler meal, it also works as a main dish with a fresh salad and chili sauce served on the side.

Common mistakes

Why was the baião dry?

The rice may have absorbed more liquid or cooked over high heat for too long. Still in the pan with small portions of the reserved hot broth and turn it off as soon as the grains are soft.

Why did the beans fall apart?

It was probably overcooked the first time it was cooked or stirred too much after returning to the pan. Cook until soft and whole and make the final mixtures with broad, delicate movements.

Why did the cheese disappear in the mix?

Small cubes, less firm cheese or excessive heat time favor melting. Cut larger pieces, brown beforehand and add only after turning off the heat.