Uff, spring seems to be far away this year and although it is March already, my birthday season, the spring shows no shoots yet. On the contrary, weather turns more and more wintery, just missing the snow, the rest is all here. But anyways, today I came home feeling really cold and although is only a Monday I’m energy less so I was thinking to cook something that, one, will warm me up and two, most important, something to cheer me up a little 😉💃🏻
So, I had to think a little but not for too long what shall I make and then since I had this beans that I have soaked from last night, I said to myself, oh yes, let me just do this dish that it’s absolutely delish!
The best sausages to go for are any pork ones or beef that are smoked including chorizos that aren’t smoked but contain smoked paprika.
This was my next thing that I was going to suggest in case you don’t find smoked sausages or you don’t like those, replace them with any sausage that you like or even bacon or gammon and add some smoked paprika.
That smoky flavor is just to die for. Well, I love it, put it this way! 🍖🍗👌🏼
Smoked pork joint, sausages and butter beans stew
Ingredients
- 350 g butter beans (organic) or 2 cans of butter beans in water
- 2 onions (organic)
- 2 small carrots (organic)
- 1/2 aubergine (organic)
- 2-3 sticks celery (organic)
- 1/2 red pepper (organic)
- 200 g tomato juice (organic)
- 1 spring thyme if not fresh, a pinch of dry thyme
- 1/2 tbsp paprika smoked/unsmoked
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder (organic)
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 leaves bay
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- 1. *** If you are cooking the dry beans, ideally is to soak those for anything between 4-12 hours. Overnight is best.
- Rinse well the beans and place in a pot with a teaspoon of salt and cook/boil covered for 30-40 minutes if soaked, longer if not soaked. I always recommend you see and follow pack instructions. Ideally is to change the first water, meaning that as soon as the beans begin to boil for the first time, drain those of that water completely, rinse with cold water and place again on fire to cook. If you chose to use the canned beans there is no need for any of the above but jump straight to step 4.
- While beans are cooking, peel wash and chop the onions and the carrot, wash the aubergine, pepper and celery and finely chop those too.
- In a deeper type pan or a pot placed on medium fire, put the sliced sausages and the onions. No need to add any oil as sausages will release some. Sufficient to cook with. Stir and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the pork joint carrot, aubergine and the pepper and cook for a further 5-7 minutes stirring consistently. Put the drained and semi-cooked beans or the canned ones and add some water (approx. 250 ml), cayenne pepper, salt, thyme, turmeric powder, bay leaves, black pepper and the tomato juice and paste. Allow to cook covered for about 20-30 minutes. Uncover for the last 10 minutes and cook on low fire.
- (Optional) Serve with some nice home made spelt flour bread and pickles.