white beans – bFeedme

White beans with pork is a dish which is inspired by the Colombian dish frijoles blancos con cerdo y tocineta. Apart from meat, Colombians are also fond of beans. It is evident in their wide array of recipes with this ingredient.

Cooking beans may take a while, so I often use a pressure cooker. It reduces the cooking time to half. Simply sautÃ© and fry everything in a heavy pot and then transfer them to the pressure cooker. Another option is to cook the beans and pork with salted boiling water until it is soft, so that after you just sautÃ© and combine all the ingredients.

Ingredients:

1 lb. white beans

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 pound bacon, chopped

2 pounds pork ribs, cut into pieces

12 cups water

1 cup grated carrots

1/2 tablespoon ground cumin

2 garlic cloves

1/4 cup onion, chopped

1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped

1/4 cup green pepper, chopped

1 scallion, chopped

1 large potato, peeled and diced

1 chicken bouillon

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup cilantro chopped

1 avocado, sliced for serving

Rinse the beans and then soak it in a bowl of water overnight. Drain and discard the water.

After, combine the garlic, onions, red and green bell peppers and scallions in a food processor or blender. Process it for 30 seconds until they are minced.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Fry the bacon for 3-5 minutes or until they are crisp and browned. With a slotted spoon, remove the fried bacon and transfer to a plate.

In the same pot, sautÃ© the garlic, onion and bell pepper mixture for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add the pork ribs, beans, carrots and bouillon cube. Pour in the water and make sure that the ingredients are submerged. You may put more water if needed. Cover it slightly and increase the heat to high. Bring it to a boil. Season it with salt and pepper.

Reduce the heat to medium and allow it to simmer for another 15 minutes. Add the cumin, potatoes and cilantro. Cook it for another 30-40 minutes until the beans and the meat are tender. Stir in the fried bacon. Season it with salt and pepper to adjust the taste.

Ladle the soup into individual bowls and serve warm with white rice and sliced avocadoes.

Photo Courtesy Of: thebittenword.com

Beans take a while to cook, that is why it is common to buy canned ones. Low sodium canned beans are better options especially if you use them often.

I prefer dried beans because they taste good and have better texture. I cook them in a pressure cooker to reduce the cooking time in half.

Ingredients:

1 pound dried white cannelliniÂ beans

4 cups sliced yellow onions

1/4 cup olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 knob of ginger (5cm)

2 quartsÂ chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

Soak the beans in water for at least 6 hours or overnight. Peel the ginger and slice it into thick strips. Set half aside for garnish.

Heat a Dutch oven or a large stock pot over medium flame. SautÃ© the onions in olive oil for 8-10 minutes or until they become translucent. Add the garlic and cook for another 3-5 minutes or until they are light brown. Pour in the chicken stock. Add the beans and half of the ginger. Bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes to an hour or until the beans are very soft. Let it cool for 10 minutes.

Remove the ginger and puree the soup in a blender or food processor for 1 minute or until it is smooth.

Reheat it in the pot. Season it with salt and pepper. Ladle into individual bowls. Garnish with the remaining ginger. Serve warm with bread.

Photo Courtesy Of: wonderyort

White Beans with Pork

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