2021 Vuelta - Stage 18: Salas to Altu d’el Gamoniteiru
A mountain stage faces today’s riders, in the region of Asturias. Things have been a little bumpy around here as well. I’m scheduled to be married on Monday. While the weeks leading up to any wedding can be adventurous in itself, my girls got sick last week, and in turn my fiancé and I also got sick. We’re expecting around 160 guests and our big day will mostly be outside, but we were worried since the girls went back to school that they may have contracted Covid-19. So, we had them tested, all clear, and now we’re waiting on our test results as well as resting and trying to get better while finalizing all of the details this week...and working; it’s been a journey.
However, always one to try and have some fun in a less-than-ideal situation, after we spent a few hours in the Children's Hospital Emergency Room waiting to get tested on Sunday, I took the girls to Eastern Market in DC. Unfortunately, it was near closing time, so they didn’t get to see it in its full glory, but we got some baked goods for them to chow on, I got some great looking tuna, from Southern Maryland Seafood Co. that I seared in my skewers earlier this week, and I also picked up some blood sausage from Canales Quality Meats which I used in today’s glorious, stage-specific dish: Asturian Bean Stew. This was perfect for our weary, healing bodies. I could only get a few whiffs into my stuffy nose while cooking, but everyone, even the little ones, said it was fantastic. I guess I’ll have to make it again later this fall to find out myself!
Asturian Bean Stew adapted from Tapas, José Andrés
1/2 lb dried Asturian beans (or Cannellini)
1 quart chicken stock
2 chorizo sausages, rough chopped
2 blood sausage, rough chopped
1/4 lb slab bacon (not pre-sliced), rough chopped
1 garlic bulb, loose paper outer skin removed
1 onion, peeled and halved
Bay leaf
1 tsp paprika
Heavy pinch of saffron
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Soak your beans in a bowl of water overnight or if you forgot, place the beans into a pot and cover with 4 cups of water. Boil for 2 minutes, cover the pot and set aside to rest, covered, for an hour. Drain the beans and reserve.
Place the soaked beans into a small dutch oven. Cover with the stock and place the chopped sausages into the pot, along with the bacon, garlic, onion, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat. Remove any white foam from the surface of the cooking liquid.
When fully simmering, add in the remaining ingredients, crushing the saffron threads between your fingers. Continue to simmer for 2-2.5 hours until the beans are tender and flavorful. You’ll need to add about a 1/4 cup of cold water every 30 minutes to slow down the cooking and ensure the beans stay covered with cooking liquid.
Taste for any seasoning needs. Cover and set aside to rest for about an hour to let the flavors fully meld. After it rests, remove the bay leaf, onion, and garlic. Bring back to a slow simmer just before serving. ______________________________ Copyright 2021, Brendan McCann, All Rights Reserved.
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