Bean Stew

This dish the Italian-American and local version of a dish I had in Puerto Rico called Habichuelas con Arroz.

  1. Soak overnight:

1
cup
dried beans (such as cranberry, cannellini, pink, or pinto)

  1. Add four times as much unsalted water.
  2. Bring to a boil for ten minutes, skimming the top of the pot.
  3. Simmer for another one hour and fifteen minutes, until the beans are fork-tender.

This yields over two, almost three cups of cooked beans, depending on the bean. Reserve the liquid.

  1. In a soup pot, slowly render the pancetta until crispy.

1

thick slice of pancetta, cubed

  1. Add and sauté until the flavors develop:

1

roasting pepper (the kind you use for peppers and eggs), diced
1

large onion, diced
4

cloves garlic, minced

  1. Add the cooked beans and their liquid along with:

1
cup
chicken broth or stock
1
cup
prepared (canned) crushed plum tomatoes
2
cups
squash, cut in spoon-sized chunks, with the skin (such as pumpkin, Butternut, Cinderella, Long Island cheese)
2

potatoes, cubed
1/2
tsp
dried, crushed thyme


salt and pepper to taste

  1. Simmer until the potatoes and squash are tender--about an hour.
  2. Serve in a bowl with a fork and a spoon.

For a variation, you can leave out the potatoes and serve over polenta

 

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