3 Recipes using Pimenta Baniwa from Alex Atala (D.O.M. and Dalva e Dito)

The following recipes were translated from the book Pimenta Jiquitaia Baniwa, FOIRN, ISA & OIBI, São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Amazonas, Brazil.

Marinated Pork with Soy, Pimenta Baniwa, Honey, and Ginger

Yield: 1 portion
Ingredients:

• 200 g of pork belly
• 200 ml of honey
• 350 ml of soy
• 45 g grated ginger
• 3 g of pepper Pimenta Baniwa
• 1 pineapple (cut into small pieces)
• 1 key lime

Method of Preparation

• Mix all the above items and place in a vacuum bag (with maximum vacuum).
• Cook the vacuum bags in the steam oven for 10 hours and 40 minutes at 215° F.
• Open the vacuum bag, drain the broth (set aside)
• Brown the pork belly on the side of the skin with a strand of olive oil. 

Finishing:

• Grill the two opposite ends of each buckle lozenge and set aside.
• Cut the pork in half, lightly dip the pork in the remaining marinade and season the meat with lemon to taste.
• Arrange the pork in the dish with the golden (skin) side up with a pineapple lozenge on the side.

Drum Fish Wrapped in Banana Leaf with Fish Broth

Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients:

• 2 clean white hake
• 1 large white onion
• 5 black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 green chili peppers
• 1 red chili pepper
• 3 g of Pimenta Baniwa
• Cilantro to taste
• Manioc Flour

Method of Preparation:

• Put the fish and the peppercorns in a pan and cover with water.
• Let it simmer for 35 minutes without boiling.
• Turn off the heat, strain, separate the fish and set aside the broth.
• Season the fish with salt and pepper.
• Light the barbecue with four fingers of charcoal.
• When the fire is down to embers, place the fish on the grill and leave on low heat until the leaf is brown and dry without burning.
• Take off the grill and set aside.
• Cut the peppers coarsely.
• Then gently mix the broth with the fish and the chili peppers and let stand for 2 minutes for the flavors to blend.

Finishing:

• Serve the fish and the broth in a deep dish and sprinkle the Pimenta Baniwa.
• Garnish with cilantro.
• As an accompaniment, serve with manioc flour.

Spaghetti with Beans and Sausage

Yield: 1 part
Ingredients:

• 150 g of common spaghetti
• Olive oil and salt to taste
• 120 g of red beans
• 110 g Tuscan sausage
• 6 ml corn oil
• 1 clove garlic
• ¼ onion
• 1 extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pinch of thyme
• 55 g of peeled tomato
• Pimenta Baniwa to taste
• Parsley to taste

Method of Preparation

• Cook the pasta in boiling water with a wire of olive oil and salt until al dente.
• Sauce:
  • Cook the beans until the beans are cooked, but whole.
  • Remove the skin from the sausage (it will break down), sear it and sauté it in the garlic and the onion.
  • Add tomatoes and thyme.
  • Cook until the sauce is thick.

Finish:

• Add the sauce to the cooked pasta.
• Arrange the pasta on the plate, the beans and the sausage, and the parsley side by side.
• Finish with the Pimenta Baniwa.