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The first thing I have to tell you about this dish (beyond that it's delish) is that it takes time. Not so much in hands on prep, but in forethought. It uses dry beans, so these require an overnight (six hour minimum) soak or a "quick soak" which takes about an hour and a half. In order for this dish to be authentic, you need a clay pot. Something I personally think EVERYONE should have, but that's just me.
Anyhoo..... join me below the squiggle as this:
Becomes this:
The second thing I have to tell you is that I discovered too late that the total ingredients photo is missing two things: olive oil and a carrot. Skipped right over the oil in reading the recipe and need to send hubbs to the store for a carrot. (Hopefully he'll also pick up other stuff, because otherwise I'll just feel guilty! Ooh, like firewood - we're having weird as all heck weather here, and it's COLD by SoCal standards! I digress....)
So add these to the overall ingredients:
Since I decided this morning to make this dish, I had to opt for the quick soak of the beans, which involves a 1:4 ratio of beans to water. I am using 1/2 pound of pinto beans, which means 4 cups of water. Add beans to water and bring to a boil. Boil for two minutes and remove from heat. Let soak for one hour.
In the meantime, you need to prepare your clay pot. This is simple. Fill your sink with cold water and immerse both the top and bottom of the cooker in the water. Let it sit in the water at least 15 minutes. You'll know the pot is absorbing the water because the level in the sink will decrease noticeably - for that reason, I usually go at least 1/2 to 1 inch over the top of the pot.
Once the pot is prepped and the beans are ready, drain the beans and put them in the bottom (glazed portion) of the clay pot.
In a 12" skillet, heat 1-2 TBSP oil (I use regular (not extra virgin) olive oil). Add one large chopped onion, four stalks diced celery, one diced carrot, and diced green chili (I use jalapeno with seeds and ribs removed). Cook over medium high heat until onion softens, about 8-10 minutes
Add the spices (1 TBSP ground coriander, 1/2 tsp ground mace and pinch ground cloves) and 1 clove pressed garlic (I use at least 3, but that's me) and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. The original recipe has the garlic cooking at the time of the onion, but I find that this tends to burn the garlic. I like the taste much better adding it either right before the spices and cooking for 30 seconds, or with the spices.
Now place the onion mixture over the beans in the clay pot.
Add 3 3/4 cups low sodium chicken broth. (Another note - the stock in the first ingredients photo is homemade stock that I hadn't defatted yet - I did this before adding to the soup. My homemade stock has all of 1 tsp of salt in two quarts, so it's def. low sodium. It tastes better because there's a metric buttload more chicken in it than in anything store bought, so the salt isn't needed to flavor it. I also roast the chicken first, so it has an amazing flavor. And it's easy. I can do a chicken stock diary if anyone is interested.)
Now. I'm emphasizing this because it's CRUCIAL. Place the lid on the clay pot and PUT IT IN A COLD OVEN!!!!!!!!!! Then turn the oven on to 400 degrees. Skipping this step and preheating your oven will likely cost you a clay pot and a lot of elbow grease cleaning your oven. You have been warned.
Let cook for two hours.
In the meantime, prep your 1 lb smoked sausage by cutting it into chunks.
Take 2 TBSP all purpose flour and mix with 3 TBSP water and a little bit of the hot broth. Stir into clay pot.
Add the sausage and 2 TBSP tomato paste to the mix in the clay pot and cook for another hour.
(A quick note about tomato paste. I used to buy the little cans of tomato paste and ALWAYS ended up throwing away most of the can. Then I discovered this tomato paste in a tube and since then, it's been the best thing ever. It is more expensive at face value than the cans, but since I have NO waste, I think I come out ahead. The brand is Amore, and I've seen it in every grocery store I shop in. Just a tip, should you suffer the same irritation I do at the tomatoes that went to waste.)
Remove from oven, stir, crush a few beans, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve with sour cream and paprika (from the recipe. I never have used the paprika.)
Enjoy!
Now, here's brillig for the comment mining and Top Mojo and Top Photos. Thanks so much brillig!!!!
brillig here: zomg that looks good. Shamelessly including a plug for my 2009 chicken stock diary. asimbagirl's diary probably will have beautiful pictures and make me drool, though, so I am encouraging a chicken stock diary!
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From Lisa Lockwood:
Nominating this comment by tiggers thotful spot, from Horace Boothroyd III's diary Snark or Real? Stratfor CEO Resigns.
From blue aardvark:
cadejo4 drops the snark bomb on Newt Gingrich.
From raincrow:
toadyt on global warming and Republicans?
From
Chrislove:
In my diary about a homophobic priest denying a lesbian communion at her mother's funeral, Karl Rover responded with this very true comment about right-wing "Christians" and Christ. Then, ht dave and vacantlook both added on, and GRLionsFan hit it home. But I think my favorite was cai's comment, which was all at once funny, sad, and probably true.
From brillig:
I loved kos' diary Progress. Comments by chimpy, Fury and the whole thread started by Steveningen simply had to be shared here.
Top Mojo for yesterday, February 26th, first comments and tip jars excluded. Thank you
mik for the mojo magic!
1) that by parryander — 189
2) Disgusting by Texas Lefty — 189
3) I don't really care about the bad tip by voracious — 171
4) To feel that kind of hatred towards someone by voracious — 170
5) maybe the banker should get a real job... by Statusquomustgo — 134
6) How dumb is this reporter? by Shane Hensinger — 133
7) I vastly prefer people of non-faith by Crashing Vor — 121
8) If you live in England, it's okay to take that by lineatus — 113
9) I would hope by jsfox — 111
10) Moonie vs. Jesuit. by lineatus — 106
11) He should have strapped a dog to the top of a by voroki — 103
12) People of faith, indeed, have a role by kitebro — 96
13) Kennedy wasn't even saying that by Red Bean — 93
14) Thomas Jefferson by MBNYC — 91
15) I can totally hear him saying that. by G2geek — 89
16) Indeed. He rounded down by 1/2 cent. by The Troubadour — 88
17) Obviously, he hasn't learned the Sheldon Cooper by Dancing Frog — 88
18) Here in Iceland... by Rei — 87
19) JFK makes me want to "throw up" by forgore — 86
20) exactly by Cedwyn — 83
21) I just read in the NY Times this morning by blue jersey mom — 83
22) A few mild thoughts. by The grouch — 82
23) I just commented about this in another thread by BoiseBlue — 82
24) #sekritarmy new recruit haz it ruff at boot camp. by jwinIL14 — 81
25) He is a college grad and he is dumb as a stump by Marnie1 — 80
26) Diplomacy With Liars Is a Nonsensical Concept by Gooserock — 80
27) I don't go anywhere I can't afford to tip 20%. by ZedMont — 79
28) NO MORE SEKRITS!!! by kishik — 78
29) that's the stark difference between the 1% & 99% by Statusquomustgo — 76
30) Agree... and disagree by BoiseBlue — 76
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