Method

Seasoned beans (feijão temperado): drain and rinse the 800 g of canned black beans (2 tins; the tin liquid is very salty). In a pan over medium heat, warm 2 tablespoons of oil, soften ½ onion, chopped, for 3 minutes and add 3 garlic cloves, chopped, for 1 minute. Add a ladle of beans and mash them with the spoon into a purée (this is what thickens the broth). Add the rest of the beans, 400 ml of water and the bay leaf, bring to the boil and simmer uncovered over low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the broth thickens. Season with salt and pepper. If starting from dried beans, soak 250 g overnight (8–12 h) and pressure-cook them for 25–30 minutes once the cooker hisses.
Fluffy white rice (arroz branco soltinho): boil 750 ml of water in a kettle. In a medium pan over medium heat, warm 1 tablespoon of oil and soften ½ onion, finely chopped, with a pinch of salt for about 2 minutes. Add the 300 g of long-grain rice and stir for 1 minute until every grain is coated in fat. Pour in the boiling water, add 1 teaspoon of salt, stir once and cook uncovered over medium heat for about 7 minutes, until the water drops to the level of the rice. Lower the heat, partly cover and cook 8 more minutes until dry. Turn off the heat, cover tightly, rest 5 minutes and fluff with a fork.
Collards: if the collard greens come whole, cut out the central stem, roll 3 to 4 leaves at a time like a cigar and slice into very thin ribbons (couve à mineira). In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon of oil with 1 crushed garlic clove for 1 minute, add the greens and a pinch of salt and sauté for about 2 minutes, just until wilted and bright green. Remove the garlic.
Eggs: in the same pan over medium heat, warm the rest of the oil, crack in the eggs and fry for 2 to 3 minutes, spooning hot oil over the whites, until the whites set and the yolks stay runny. Season with a pinch of salt.
Plate rice, beans with their broth alongside, the collards and an egg on top of the rice. Serve straight away.

Shopping tip

Collard greens are sold finely shredded (for caldo verde) at Continente and Pingo Doce, which is exactly couve à mineira; do not use savoy cabbage. Canned black beans are in every supermarket; if you prefer the carioca beans of São Paulo and Minas, Auchan sells them dried (Camil, Mabiju) to cook the day before.