Portuguese Bean Stew (feijao A Portuguesa)

Total Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 2 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 lb dried navy beans or 1 lb great northern bean, picked over
• 1 lb sliced bacon
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 -5 cups water
• 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
• 1 lb portuguese chourico or 1 lb spanish chorizo sausage, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices
• 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• salt and pepper

Recipe

• 1 soak beans in cold water to cover by 2 inches, for 8 hours.
• 2 cook bacon in a large pot until crisp.
• 3 transfer to paper towels to drain.
• 4 discard all but 3 tablespoons of bacon drippings.
• 5 cook onion in bacon drippings over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown; about 7-9 minutes.
• 6 add garlic and cook, stirring until it becomes golden.
• 7 drain beans and add to onion mixture with remaining ingredients (except bacon).
• 8 bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until beans are tender; about 1 1/2 hours.
• 9 crumble bacon into beans and season with salt and pepper before serving.