Pork and Beans! January 7, 2011

Stewy goodness!

A friend of mine recently gifted me with a package of Rancho Gordo beans. Variety, Runner Cannellini Beans. I have been wanting to try these things for a long time, nearly nine months, and yet I haven’t taken it upon myself to purchase any. Suffice it to say I was very excited about trying them out and decided to improvise a dish using some cubed pork and Italian inspired ingredients. The result was quite delicious so I thought I would share it!

Pork and Cannellini Stew

1 1/2 c dried Cannellini beans
1/2 c home made chicken stock
1/2 c home made tomato sauce
1 lb cubed pork
10 slices dehydrated zucchini
1 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp fennel seed
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 TBSP flour
salt and pepper to taste

Begin by soaking the beans for a few hours to soften them. This can be done overnight if you’d like. Drain and place beans in the pot. Cover with six cups of water, add a couple of slices of the dried zucchini and let cook over low heat for about two hours.

For the pork, heat about two tablespoons of olive oil in a cast iron skillet. Add the cumin and fennel seeds and let sizzle for a few minutes. Mix the flour with a bit of salt and pepper. Dry off the pork with a paper towel and dredge in the flour, then place in the oil. Brown the meat on all sides then transfer to the bean pot. Add the chicken stock and tomato sauce as well as the remaining dried zucchini, basil and oregano.

Let cook for another hour or until the beans are soft and the meat is tender. Serve over polenta and enjoy!

Happy Eating!