Recipe: Southwestern Baked Beans with Chorizo, Poblanos, and Orange (oven or crock pot)

SOUTHWESTERN BAKED BEANS WITH
CHORIZO, POBLANOS, AND ORANGE

"These unusually flavored baked beans have a rich, creamy texture and delicate orange flavor that blends surprisingly well with the chorizo and spices. I just love them. Be sure to use a fresh (raw) Mexican chorizo, not cured, smoked Spanish chorizo-the flavor will be good either way, but the Spanish chorizo ends up very dry."

2 cups small white beans (1 pound), such as navy, soldier, Great Northern, cannellini, or baby lima beans
1 pound fresh (raw) Mexican chorizo or other spicy sausage, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
1 large white or yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 dark green poblano chiles, seeded and diced
1 or 2 jalapeno or serrano chiles, seeded and finely chopped
3 tablespoons orange juice concentrate
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped (about 1/3 cup)

In a large, deep ovenproof pot with a lid or in a slow-cooker, combine the beans, chorizo, onion, garlic, poblanos, jalapenos, orange juice concentrate, salt, and black pepper. Stir in 4 1/2 cups water.

Cover the pot, set in the oven, and turn the temperature to 250 degrees Fahrenheit, or switch the slow-cooker on to low. Cook for 8 hours or until the beans are soft but still hold their shape. Remove from the oven or turn off the slow-cooker. Let the beans cool at room temperature. As they sit they will absorb any excess liquid. Stir in the cilantro before serving.

ADVANCE PREP:
I find the beans are actually best if they are made the day before and reheated (on the stove or in the oven) before serving.

LEFTOVERS:
The beans will keep for two weeks in the fridge or can be frozen for several months. Reheat leftovers on the stove, in the oven, or in a microwave.

Makes about 8 cups, enough for 8 servings
Excerpted from Kitchen Sense by Mitchell Davis
Copyright 2006 by Mitchell Davis. Excerpted by permission of Clarkson Potter, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.