Tripping All the Way to Tuscan-Inspired White Bean, Kale and Chicken Soup

Tuscan-Inspired White Bean, Kale & Chicken Soup

I bought a huge, and I mean huge, bag of Kale on Monday and was determined to make something warm and satisfying by the way of soup. I had also just watched a travel show about Tuscany and the flavors, herbs and scents of that region and I wanted them in my food. It was inspiring, I was inspired and I got cooking. The ingredients you need to incorporate those flavors aren't all that hard to get, they are simple, clean, fresh and you probably have most or all of them on hand. This is not a heavy soup, it is hearty in flavor, but it will not weigh you down. The Hub had seconds, he is my eternal "meter"! When he has seconds I know I hit a home run! So come along with me and let's get tripping to Tuscany.

Serves 6 as a meal and 8 as a starter.

1 pound chicken* thighs, diced into bite size pieces, about 1", sprinkled with salt and pepper and a teaspoon of Tuscan seasoning mix (recipe follows at the end)
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 large onion, diced
2 large carrots, quartered and diced
2 celery stalks, halved and diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons Tuscan seasoning mix (recipe follows at the end)
1 sprig of fresh rosemary, stems removed and discarded, leaves chopped
A palm full of fresh thyme, stems removed and discarded, leaves chopped

Hearty Four-Bean & Kielbasa Soup

In South Florida, there is no such thing as "winter," just occasional, beautiful, coldish days. The lowest it has been so far is probably 49 degree, which believe it or not, is freezing for us Floridians. We break out our boots, scarfs, turtlenecks, and large sweaters, it is the funniest thing. My boyfriend is from New York, so obviously this weather is a joke to him. He goes out in shorts and I just freak out, but I digress and the point of me bringing up the weather is that in the event of these random cold days I make yummy, comforting warm soups, thus this recipe. This I made when I got home from work on Thursday evening with no plan of what to make. I'm trying to consume less red meat, so I knew chili was out of the question but I did have turkey kielbasa sitting in the fridge begging to be used. I put flavors together in my head with the kielbasa, the beans and the spices and the result is this yummy soup! You can almost clear out your pantry with this recipe. Use what beans you may like as well as regular kielbasa instead of turkey. The next day it was just as delicious if not more since the spices had even more time to mingle. I hope you enjoy my impromptu soup and hope it'll help warm up your chilly nights!

Recipe:

Eryka on Wednesday with Eryka

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 16oz turkey kielbasa, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 15.5oz can black beans
1 15.5oz can red kidney beans
1 15oz can pork and beans
1 8.3oz can baked beans
1 14.5oz can diced tomato
1 1/2 tablespoon tomato paste
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large stew pot, heat oil on medium. Add the onions, peppers and onions. Cook until fragrant and soft. Add the kielbasa; cook together for about 5 minutes.

2. In the same pan, add all the canned products with their juices (important: do NOT drain). Stir to combine. Follow with the tomato paste and all the spices.

3. Stir and bring everything to a boil then lower to a simmer. Simmer for about 45 minutes. Taste to check to seasonings. If ready, serve in bowls, top with your favorite cheese and enjoy!

Chicken, Orzo & White Bean Soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion diced

1 bell pepper diced

 8 ounces of cremoni mushrooms sliced in thick slices

4 skinless boneless chicken thighs cut into chunks

1 tablespoon finely minced garlic

1/2 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped 

1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced

1 tablespoon of fresh basil, finally minced
1 cup white wine

28 ounce can of San Marzano whole tomatoes (tear apart with your hand as you add to pan)

2 bay leaves

4 cups of chicken stock

2 cups of cannellini beans (previously soaked) or 1 can, drained and rinsed.

1/2 teaspoon of dried orange peel
Parmesan rind (optional)
1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 cup uncooked orzo
3-4 handfuls spinach

Freshly grated Parmesan Cheese

• Heat a dutch oven or deep pan over medium heat. Add oil followed by onions and peppers. Saute 5 minutes.
• Add mushrooms, cook 3 minutes.
• Add the chicken, allow to lightly brown, then add the garlic. Stir to incorporate.
• Sprinkle the rosemary, oregano and basil over top and stir well to incorporate. Saute 2 minutes.
• Deglaze the pan with wine, scrape brown bits from bottom of pan.
• Add the tomatoes,  bay leaves,chicken stock, beans and orange peel. Bring to boil, then lower heat to a simmer. (At this point you can transfer everything to the slow cooker and set on high for 2 -3 hours or low for 6-8 hours.)
• Cook until the beans are softened about 45 - 60 minutes
• 30 minutes before serving, bring to a low boil add, salt, pepper, orzo and spinach, stir, lower heat to simmer.
• (For the slow cooker, raise heat to high and stir in, salt, pepper, orzo and spinach - cook 30 minutes or till orzo is al dente).

To Serve: Grate parmesan over each serving and with your favorite bread.

Recipe notes:  You can use dried herbs in place of fresh just be sure to adjust  quantities as dried herbs are much more potent.

Moroccan Ras-el-Hanot Carrot and Chickpea

Recently I was going through one of my old cookbooks and in the back of the book I found an old yellow, lined sheet of paper with my chicken scratch for this recipe.  This recipe was given to me by a co-worker when I worked in International Banking in the 80s. The co-worker was Moroccan and I remember she brought me a serving of this very vegetarian dish and I loved it.

I am pretty certain I never got around to making it because back then, it was next to impossible to get any of the exotic spices this recipe takes.  Nowadays, you can find most of them at Whole Foods or Trader Joe's and of course ... the internet.

I use several exotic spices in this recipe which is what gives this vegetarian dish it's heartiness. Ras-el-Hanot, is a mix of several different spices, such as cardamon, cloves cumin, etc. Sumac is a red berry colored spice that has a tangy lemony flavor, often you'll see it sprinkled over hummus. Pilpelchuma  is a fiery spice, use sparingly, but it adds lots of depth to the overall flavor of this dish, so even a pinch is good.

Can you tell I am totally into this recipe and the spices?  I just love Moroccan, Middle Eastern and Indian food and I am pretty sure it's the combination of spices that I am so infatuated with.
Well I've rambled enough, here's the recipe... Oh and the Hub? Yeah, he gave it his usual blessing.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon pistachio oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
• Salt to taste - about 1 teaspoon
• 1/8 teaspoon Pilpelchuma 
• Black pepper to taste 
• 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 teaspoons grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon Ras-el-Hanot
• 6-8 carrots, peeled, sliced on the diagonal 
• 1 cup vegetable or chicken stock (if you use chicken stock - the recipe is no longer vegan)
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 tablespoons clover honey
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup of raisins
• Sumac

1. Heat a skillet over medium low heat, add oils, followed by onions and garlic. Saute for 5-8 minutes or until onions are softened.
2. Add the spices and stir to incorporate. Allow to cook for 1 minute, stirring to keep from burning.
3. Add carrots and stock, stir and bring to a low simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover with lid.  Allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes or until carrots are tender.
4. Add raisins, honey and chickpeas, cook and additional 10-15 minutes or until sauce has thickened. 
5. Sprinkle each serving with a pinch of sumac

Serve with brown basmati rice or warm naan bread.  Enjoy!

Recipe Notes:  You can use just olive oil and not the combination I used here.  I just like that little extra something the nut oil gives.  You can use other dried fruit like apricots or dates. You can use cayenne pepper in place of the Pilpelchumal but there are no substitutes for the Ras-el-Hanot or the Sumac.

Lentils with Turkey Kielbasa

Lentils and kielbasa are two things I completely enjoy, so for this recipe I am combining both! Lentils are very filling, hearty and comfort food to me. I enjoy making recipes with lentils or split pea because it makes all my senses happy and after a long day at work on my feet I want comfort food, plus leftovers! Lentils is great for a filling dinner paired with rice or keeping it lighter by eating it simply as a soup with your favorite bread. It makes plenty for dinner and then my favorite: leftovers! The Goya Azafran seasoning packet is completely optional. If it is not available in your grocery store you can omit it or add your own spices. If you do omit the packet make sure to add salt; I always add salt at the end of these kind of soups since I add the seasoning packet and it tends to be salty on its own. I hope you enjoy another one of my comfort go to foods!

Recipe

A Wednesdays with Eryka
Recipe

• 1lb turkey kielbasa, sliced into coins
• Olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 packet Goya Azafran seasoning
• 1-16 ounce bag lentils
• 1 cup white wine
• 5 cups water
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 sweet potato, chopped in chunks
• 3 russet potato, chopped in chunks
• salt and pepper, to taste

1. In a large stock pot, heat olive oil on medium heat and add the turkey kielbasa. Cook until slightly browned on both sides. Remove from pot.

2. In the same pot, add a little bit more olive oil plus the onion, pepper and garlic. Cook for about 4 minutes until fragrant and slightly soft. Add the kielbasa back into the pot with the vegetable mix. Stir together and cook for about 1 minute.

3. Add in the cumin, lentils and Azafran seasoning packet. Stir to combine all the ingredients for about 1 minute. Add in the liquids (the amount varies, just make sure it is about 2 inches above the lentils) and bay leaf. Stir it all together then bring to a boil. Simmer on low-medium heat for about 45 minutes.

4. In the last 15 minutes of cooking, bring soup back up to a boil and add the potatoes. Lower to simmer over low heat and in the mean time, if you are accompanying with rice, make it at this time.

5. Once 15 minutes have passed check to see if the potatoes are soft with a knife or fork. If it is then it is ready to eat. Add salt and pepper to taste if needed. Serve and enjoy!

Tuna & Garbanzo Hash

Sometimes I am very organized and I plan out the entire dinner menu for the coming week. I take an hour on Sunday afternoon and do as much prep work as I can so that dinner doesn't turn into a work week hassle.

And then there are times when no planning is done, no prep work gets done and I spend the week jumping through self-induced hoops to figure out what meal is going to make it to the dinner table.

On those occasions, I reach for one of my favorite "go to" meals. I usually have all the ingredients in the pantry to make Tuna & Garbanzo Hash. Normally when you see the word "hash" in a recipe you are expecting a potato to be in there somewhere.  In this case I substituted the potato with garbanzo beans (a.k.a. chick peas) to make this hash.

The flavors of this meal are influenced by sweet, smokey Spanish paprika, briny capers and black olives, garlic, the zing of a lemon and are reminiscent of Spanish and Mediterranean food. 
Best of all - it comes together in under 30 minutes. Enjoy!

• 15-16 oz of canned, tinned or pouch tuna* (preferably Spanish tuna packed in olive oil)
• 1 - 15 oz can of garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large vidalia or Spanish onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2-4 mini sweet peppers, diced 
• 2 large carrots, diced 1/4"
• Salt
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1  heaping tablespoon smoked sweet paprika
• 2 teaspoons of capers + 1 teaspoon brine
• 1/4 cup sliced black olives
• Zest and juice of one lemon
• 1/2 cup sherry or white wine

1. Heat a stainless steel skillet  pan over moderate heat
2. Add oil, onions, garlic, peppers, carrots and a light sprinkle of salt. 
3. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until the onions have softened.  
4. Incorporate tomato paste, paprika, and garbanzo beans, stir well to blend, cook for 5 minutes over medium low heat. 
5. Raise heat to medium high and add remaining ingredients, and bring to a bubbling simmer Lower heat and add in tuna, gently stirring to incorporate. 
6. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes to allow ingredients and flavors to meld.

SERVE:
Sprinkle with a light dusting of sweet smoked paprika, top with a few strands of lemon zest and a squeeze of a lemon wedge, serve with white rice or on thinly sliced toasted french bread and chilled white wine.

*Recipe Tip: Whenever I can splurge a little I use Spanish tuna, that comes packed 
in olive oil. The flavor is far superior to the tuna that lines our supermarket shelves, if you have the opportunity to splurge a little, give it a shot.

Red Curry & Coconut Lentil Soup

As the last of the "cold" winter days breezed through South Florida this weekend I wanted to make one of the Hubs favorite soups, Red Curry & Coconut Lentil Soup. The Hub is a big fan of anything that has coconut in it, so this soup is always a home run. It's an easy to prep and cook soup that may become one of your "go to" weeknight meals. It's vegetarian, spicy, thick, rich in flavor yet light. And it's what I call C1G2 meal (cook once, get two) because its a big batch, so you can freeze the leftovers for another no fuss, no cook, weeknight dinner and that makes it a home run for me.

Serves 4-6

2 1/2 cups of red lentils
4 cups vegetable stock*
2 cups of water
1 tablespoon of canola or grapeseed oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 large carrots, halved and chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large baking potato, cubed, about 1/2"
1 whole Thai chili pepper, pierced with a fork*
2 teaspoons red curry paste
1 tablespoon turmeric
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 can of light coconut milk. (I have found that the best tasting is Whole Foods 365 organic light coconut milk and it's not ridiculously over-priced either)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sugar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Slow Cooker Hearty Red Beans and Ham Soup

Right when the weather starts to really cool in South Florida, and by that I mean low 40s, I start thinking soup. One soup
that I tend to make mostly in January and February is this Hearty Red Bean and Ham Soup.  It's a two step process BUT you can work on step one a few days ahead of time or even weeks if you go the route of the freezer. I love how rich, thick and flavorful the bean broth gets and the beans get very creamy in texture.  The best part is you let the beans cook away in your slow cooker while you are at work and you get home to a yummy, warm meal.  All you need is a little toasted bread to sop up the broth as you chow down.

Serves 4

1 pound red beans*, soaked overnight
4 large onions; 2 quartered, 2 rough chopped
2 large green peppers; 1 quartered, 1 rough chopped
1 head of garlic, unpeeled, sliced in half
3 cups of water
2 tablespoons minced garlic
6 slices center cut or turkey bacon, chopped, cooked in the microwave till just crispy
1 pound lean ham or turkey ham, cubed
1 smoked  ham shank or smoked turkey "hocks"
4 cups of beef stock or ham stock
1 cup water
2 bay leaves
1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt

To par-cook the beans after soaking, add  beans, 2 quartered onion, 1 quartered bell pepper, 1 head of garlic, 3 cups of water to a deep pot. Bring to rolling boil, and allow to boil for 30 minutes, lid off. After 30 minutes, turn off heat and allow to sit for 1 1/2 hours lid on. This can portion can be done the day before or even over the weekend and stored in the fridge till you are ready to make them. You can even freeze them to leave for another day.

To make the beans, place the par-cooked beans and liquid in the slow cooker. scoop out the garlic and large pieces of onions or bell pepper.  Add all the remaining ingredients, EXCEPT the salt  (see my post "Salt Will Keep Your Beans from Softening" for more info on bean cookery). Salt only once the beans are completely softened. Set slow cooker on hi for 4-5 hours or low for 8-9 hours.  You can make this stove top and first bring to a boil, allow to boil for 5 minutes then cover and simmer 2-3 hours or until the beans have softened.

Serve into deep bowls by itself or over rice and lots of toasted bread to soak up the juices.

Recipe Notes:
*I use Central American red beans.  They are tiny but have an incredibly deep rich red color and the flavor is amazing.  They are creamier in texture once softened then regular red beans.  Check your local Hispanic market for Central American red beans or use regular red beans if you can't find them.
You'll notice that I say to use either ham or turkey products, the choice is up to you.  Either is delicious.  If you want to cut on some calories use the turkey products.

Potaje de Garbanzo / Cuban Chickpea and Chorizo Stew

The last week brought about some cooler temperatures to South Florida and believe me that is quite a relief! This delightfully cool weather inspired me to make one of my favorite Cuban potajes (stew) ... Potaje de Garbanzo.  I think of a potaje (poe-tah-hey) as not quite a soup, not quite a stew and not quite a porridge. It's a hearty chickpeas (garbanzo), simmered with Spanish chorizo, ham, smoked pork shank, Cuban calabaza and potatoes. The taste takes me back to the days of sitting in my mom's kitchen, talking and watching her prepare this divine "potaje". It's funny how so many of the memories of my mom, that mean so much to me and that I hold dear, took place in her kitchen. A little choked up and a big sigh inserted here! Anyway, back to the "potaje". To me, the perfect spoonful has a piece of chorizo, calabaza, and chickpea swimming in the smokey, paprika infused tomato-y broth. Add your favorite bread to dunk in the savory broth or white rice and your meal has just graduated to a traditional Cuban meal. This is nothing short of absolutely, positively delicious! I am pretty certain that my favorite Potaje de Garbanzo may become one your favorites too!

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large vidalia onion, chopped
3-4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 large bell pepper chopped
4 small dried and cured Spanish chorizo* links, sliced on the diagonal
1 tablespoon sweet, smoked Spanish paprika
1 tablespoon granulated garlic powder
1 laurel bay leaf
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
4 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 dry white wine
1 pounds of garbanzo beans
1 1/2 pounds of smoked pork shank
8 oz ham steak cubed
1/2  Cuban calabaza squash (or butternut squash), peeled and diced into large pieces
1 - 2 large red potatoes, peeled, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
Soak the beans 24 hours ahead of cooking time, change water whenever possible.
Place the rinse beans and place in a pot with enough water to go about 2 inches above beans. Bring to a rolling boil and cook for 5 minutes on high. Cover and turn off heat. Leave in water for 1 hour. Remove and rinse beans set aside. Throw out water.
Heat a deep, heavy bottomed dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil, onions, pepper and garlic. Saute for 5-7 minutes or until vegetables are tender, add sliced chorizo, paprika, bay leaf and garlic powder stir well to incorporate. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes, making sure the chorizo has expelled it's oils. Add tomato sauce, lower heat to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, covered. Add all of the remaining ingredients, except the salt, and stir to combine. Cook for 1 hour or until beans are almost tender. Add salt and cook for another 1/2 hour.

Serve in deep bowls along with crusty Cuban or French bread and/or, as served traditionally, with white rice. Enoy!

Recipe notes:
*Do not substitute Spanish chorizo with Mexican chorizo, the flavor profiles are completely different.
I like to to dice my calabaza (squash) in large pieces so that I actually have pieces of it remaining in the stew once it is done cooking. It tends to break down considerably during the cooking process.
Easily to adaptable to slow cooker cooking. After sauteing and simmering vegetables and chorizo in the tomato sauce, transfer all ingredients, except salt, to the slow cooker and cook on high for 4-5 hours OR on low for 8-9 hours.  Half hour before cook time is up add in the salt.
I never add salt to beans until they are almost done. It is my experience that salt added to the beginning of the bean's cooking process will keep the beans from softening.  See my post Salt Will Keep Your Beans from Softening for more information on bean cookery!

Creamy Cannellini Bean, Kale and Mini-Meatball Soup

The weekend has come and gone, and we are back to Monday. Mondays has become a soup and salad night for us. Not only does my creamy cannellini, kale and mini-meatball soup help getting over a weekend of over-indulging in too much food and drink, it helps soothe away the very long workday that Monday always seems to bring with it. What I love about this soup is that it is creamy but not to the point of over-indulgence, it's only a 1/2 cup of cream to five cups of soup. It's packed with lots of veggies, like sweet carrots, savory celery, earthy potatoes, creamy cannellini beans, the best source of beta-carotene ... kale, and mini-meatballs. It's a warm, homey meal, that's big on taste and satisfaction.


Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 medium carrots, peeled and sliced on the diagonal
3 stalks celery, sliced on the diagonal
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 medium red potatoes, peeled and diced
1 - 151/2 oz can cannellini beans
8-10 sage leaves, tied in a bundle
2 bay leaves
4 cups kale (or your green of choice)
8 oz cooked mini-meatballs (see notes)
4 cups herb and wine infused chicken stock (see notes)
1 cup of water
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper or to taste
1/2 cup of heavy cream or half & half

Heat a soup pot over moderate heat, add the first 5 ingredients, cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the remaining ingredients except for cream, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cook covered for 30 minutes. Stir cream in, allow to simmer for 2 minutes just to heat through.

To serve sprinkle with Parmesan or feta, along with a crisp salad or crusty bread. ENJOY!

Recipe notes:
To infuse the chicken stock; add 4 cup of homemade or store bought chicken stock, one cup of dry white wine and a large bouquet garni tied bundle to a pot, bring to a rolling boil and simmer while you chop and saute the vegetables. The bouquet garni can be any fresh herbs you have on hand, I used sage,flat leaf parsley, rosemary, and thyme.
For the mini-meatballs, I like to make 5 pounds of meatballs and freeze them already cooked to have on hand for a quick meal or to add to recipes. I used the recipe featured in my post Cheesy Cheese Stuffed Meatballs, but when it came time to make the mini-meatballs, I omitted the cheese, and made the mini-meatballs about the size of the width of a nickel.

Herbs de Provence Red Lentil Soup

It seems that lately the Hub and I have been "over-indulging" on the weekends, and by Monday we are fed-up with food (HA, pun intended!). What we both tend to crave on Mondays is a warm soup and a fresh, crispy, crunchy salad. I especially love this soup because it's broth-y but you can thicken it by running an immersion blender through it if you prefer a thick soup. The broth gets it's flavor from a rich homemade chicken stock (although the carton variety is just fine too), a mire-poix of carrots, celery and onions, herbs de Provence, a splash of white wine and turkey bacon. It's homey, warm, satisfying and pretty much ready to eat in under an hour. It's definitely a great weeknight meal!

Serves 2 - 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 package of turkey bacon, diced
1 large onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, diced
4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 teaspoon garlic
1 cup red lentils
2 medium red potatoes, peeled and diced
Handful of celery leaves and parsley, chopped, set aside 2 generous tablespoons
1 1/2 teaspoons of dried herbs de Provence
8 cups chicken stock
1 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon fleur de sel, sea salt or kosher salt
Pepper to taste

Iberian-Inspired Chorizo, Cod and Chickpea Stew

A Two for Tuesday Recipe 

Afternoon was fast approaching and I still had not quite thought out dinner.  I was in the mood for something warm and spicy, not quite a soup, something more substantial. As I looked at my pantry for inspiration, I saw I had a beautiful package of Spanish chorizo waiting to be used and right next to it was a can of garbanzos. I took a quick look in the freezer and knew immediately what I wanted to make ... an Iberian-inspired stew.

I was going to base it on a stew I had when I was in Madrid at a Spanish-Portuguese restaurant. To this day, I have never forgotten the flavor of that rich, warm, spicy (not hot) stew. As unusual as the pairing of fish and chorizo may sound this is a classic in Portuguese and Spanish cooking. If you are not familiar with Spanish chorizo, it a cured sausage that is very common in Spain and is made with pork, garlic and paprika. In the U.S. it is becoming much more popular and available at most local supermarkets.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large Spanish onion, chopped
2 pinches salt
1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, finely diced
4 cured Spanish chorizos, sliced on the bias, 1/4 inch thick
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
2 pinches of saffron
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup of dry sherry
14.5 ounce can of fire roasted diced tomatoes
1/4 head of cabbage, sliced into strips
2 small red potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups of chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup water
1 bay leaf
2 handfuls of kale (optional)
4 - 5 ounces cod fillets

Salt Will Keep Your Beans from Softening

Did you know you shouldn't add salt to your beans until they are softened?  That's right, adding salt to your beans when you start cooking them will inhibit the softening process. The salt actually prevents the starches in the beans from breaking down, thus producing a hard bean. Beans are a superfood! They are high in fiber and protein and rich in anti-oxidants, and because they digest at a slower rate than their protein counterpart - meat, they keep you full longer and that makes them great for your waistline.  Beans are so versatile and it's another food staple that I think people, in general, tend to shy away from. I have found that the best way to prepare dried beans for cooking is as follows:

1. Soak beans overnight in water. At least 8 hours or more. The ratio I use for the soaking is 2:1 (2 parts water to 1 part bean)
2. If possible, I like to change out the soaking water a few times.
3. Never cook in the soaking water. Discard and and rinse your beans.
4. Place your beans in a stock pot or dutch oven. Add enough water or unsalted stock to cover beans about an inch over top of beans. You can add aromatics, such a onions, peppers etc., but NO salt.

Aida's Cuban Black Beans - Frijoles Negros Estilo Cubano

Aida's Cuban Black Beans

This recipe is very near and dear to my heart.  In the last few years of her life I was able to get my mom to sit down and give me a usable recipe for her famous and absolutely delicious Cuban black beans and a few others too! I say usable because I never saw my mom measure anything. All her recipes were add a little of this, a splash of that, or a handful of this. Her food never varied in taste, the flavor was always consistent. To this day I will not eat Cuban black beans at any restaurant. They just don't compare - they lack the "life and soul" that they need to be truly magnificent. So here's to my mom - Aida - thanks mom for being you and making the most mouthwatering meals ever!

Serves 4 - 6

To Cook Beans:

1 lb of black beans
6 cups water or stock