When I’m in Brazil and craving something other than the local fare, Lebanese cuisine is my comfort food of choice. One spot I always return to is Basha in Rio de Janeiro. They serve mouthwatering meat-stuffed cabbage rolls, known as charutos Libanais (the Portuguese name for the traditional Lebanese dish, malfouf). Each roll arrives in a seasoned tomato broth, with fiery pimenta caseira (homemade hot sauce) and wedges of lime for that essential burst of citrus, celebrating both Lebanese and Brazilian flavors. That inspiring fusion led to today’s first recipe.
Charutos with Spicy Tomato Broth and Garlic Oil (pictured top)
Prep 20 min
Cook 10 min
Makes 12 rolls
For the filling
400g lamb mince
40g tomato puree/paste
15g fresh coriander, finely chopped
½ brown onion (60g), grated
1 garlic clove, finely grated or crushed
½ tsp medium curry powder
½ tsp dried mint
¼ tsp ground allspice
1 tsp fine sea salt
About 50 twists cracked black pepper
For the broth
15g tomato puree/paste
¼ tsp fine sea salt
For the chard
250g rainbow chard (or Swiss chard)
1 tbsp olive oil
1 scotch bonnet chilli, whole
2 limes, halved
For the garlic oil
1½ tbsp olive oil
20g salted butter
3 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
¼ tsp urfa chilli flakes
⅛ tsp fine sea salt
Start by preparing your filling. In a mixing bowl, combine all the filling ingredients, mixing thoroughly. Set aside.
For the tomato broth, boil the kettle then whisk together 200g boiling water, tomato puree, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
To prep the chard, hold the bunch by the stalks over a large pan and pour over more boiling water. This will soften the leaves, making them easier to roll.
Trim the stalks from the chard leaves. Finely dice 100g of the stalks and stir them into the lamb mixture (keep any extra stalks for another use).
Lightly oil a work surface. Lay out the chard leaves rib side up, taking care not to tear them. If leaves are large, use one per roll; smaller leaves may need to be overlapped. Place about 50g of filling onto each leaf. Fold in the sides and roll up tightly to form neat logs, seam side down. You should get around 12 rolls.
Heat a 28cm pan with a lid over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, lay the rolls seam side down and fry for about 2½ minutes each side until golden. Pour in your tomato broth and add the whole scotch bonnet. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for four minutes.
While the rolls cook, combine all the garlic oil ingredients in a small saucepan. Warm gently over medium heat for about three minutes, until the garlic is golden and fragrant—don’t let it burn.
When ready, squeeze the scotch bonnet into the sauce for extra heat. Drizzle the rolls with a spoonful of garlic oil and serve the rest alongside, plus lime wedges for squeezing.
Guava, Curry and Chilli Meatballs
If you’ve ever tasted Brazilian calabresa sausage—modeled on its Calabrian cousin—you’ll know it offers incomparable flavor and a hearty bite (and, unlike some UK sausages, isn’t padded with fillers). Sourcing the fresh version in the UK can be a challenge, so I created these meatballs with bold, vibrant influences. They mimic the punchy taste and rustic texture of Italian and Brazilian sausages. I’ve also introduced some unconventional favorites—guava jam, curry powder, scotch bonnet, and English mustard—to craft a sticky, sweet, and outrageously tasty treat.
Prep 5 min
Cook 10 min
Serves 4
400g pork mince (choose a fattier blend!)
140g pancetta or lardons, diced into ½cm cubes
70g guava jam (or swap for mango or pineapple jam)
25g jarred chopped red chilli condiment
10g tomato puree/paste
10g English mustard
1 garlic clove, crushed
½ tbsp olive oil, plus more for handling/frying
1 tsp rice vinegar
1½ tsp medium curry powder
¾ tsp fine sea salt
¼ tsp ground allspice
About 30 twists freshly cracked black pepper
Set your oven to 210C (190C fan) or 410F (gas mark 6½). In a large bowl, thoroughly blend all ingredients—make sure the guava jam, tomato paste, and mustard are well distributed through the mixture.
Using oiled hands, shape the mixture into eight firm meatballs.
Heat a large frying pan over high heat. When hot, fry the meatballs, turning to brown them well on all sides—this takes about four minutes. Transfer the browned meatballs to a baking tray and bake in the oven for five minutes to finish cooking. Serve them with feijão (Brazilian beans), a crisp salad, or inside a crusty sandwich.
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These recipes are edited extracts from Fusão: Untraditional Recipes Inspired by Brasil, by Ixta Belfrage, published by Ebury Press at £28. For a discounted copy (£25.20), head to guardianbookshop.com.
