The Chilean Kitchen/Ruth Van Waerebeek-Gonzalez 1999

Hearty Bean and Vegetable Stew with Pasta (Porotos con Rienda)

Servings

Preparation Time

Cooking Time

Temperature

Notes

Calories

Trans Fat

Saturated Fat

Fat

Sodium

Carbohydrates

Protein

Cholesterol

4-5

`INGREDIENTS:`
2 cups dried white beans, Great Northern beans, white kidney beans, cranberry beans, or black-eyed peas	1/2 pound pumpkin, cut into 1/2-inch cubes	1 chicken bouillon cube, crumbled
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste	2 tablespoons lard or vegetable oil	3-inch link chorizo or other spicy Spanish sausage, diced, or 3 ounces smoked bacon, cut into small pieces
1 cup finely, chopped onion	2 cloves garlic, finely minced	1/2 carrot, peeled and coarsely grated
3 tablespoons diced red bell pepper	1 teaspoon sweet paprika	1 teaspoon dried oregano
4 ounces spaghetti, broken into thirds

`1`	Pick through the beans, and remove any small stones or other foreign objects. Rinse the beans, and place in a large bowl. Add about 2 quarts cold water, and soak overnight in cool place.
`2`	Drain the beans, and place in a heavy pot. Add enough water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat, and simmer covered 30 minutes. Add the pumpkin and bouillon cube; cook until the beans are tender but still hold their shape, 45 to 60 minutes more. (Cooking times vary according to size and age of the beans.) Salt the dish generously.
`3`	Meanwhile, heat the lard in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage, and cook 3 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, carrot, bell pepper, paprika, oregano, and black pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes.
`4`	Stir the sausage mixture into the beans, and cook covered 15 minutes. Taste for seasonings, and adjust if needed. The dish should be quite soupy; add more water if it seems too dry.
`5`	Add the spaghetti and cook, stirring frequently, until the pasta is just tender to the bite, 10 to 15 minutes. Add more water if necessary; this dish should be moist, almost soupy. Spoon the beans into deep soup plates and serve at once.