Recipe: Traditional Dried Bean Stew (Habichuelas Secas Guisadas Tradicionales)

Traditional Dried Bean Stew (Habichuelas Secas Guisadas Tradicionales)
A Taste of Puertio Rico/Yvonne Ortiz

1 tablespoon annatto oil combined with 1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pound smoked ham, diced
1 chorizo (red Spanish sausage), sliced
1/4 cup Basic Recaito
1 1/2 cups tomato sauce
1 1/2 cups water or chicken stock
1/4 pound calabaza (West Indian pumpkin) or potatoes, peeled and diced
1/4 cup alcaparrado
3 cups cooked beans
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the ham and chorizo and saute over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the recaito and tomato sauce. Cook for 5 minutes.

Add the water, calabaza, and alcaparrado. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.

Add the beans and black pepper and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook for 10 minutes more.

NOTE: To make a bean stew that combines Cuban and Puerto Rican cookery, use 1 1/2 cups cooked gandules (green pigeon peas) and 1 1/2 cups cooked black beans.