Quick Chorizo & Three Bean Stew

Here is my take on beans — they can be wonderful sometimes, but you won’t typically find me making delicious bean based dishes.  I enjoy a clear beef broth with giant lima beans occasionally; I do like them inside a burrito, and once in a while I have a hankering for a bean soup (how come I still haven’t posted a good one, I have no idea).  I also love one particular bean salad, which I posted earlier this year. But that’s about it.  Oh, I am lying, I once added white beans to a fish chowder, and it was quite good.  Now it’s definitely the end of my list.

Today’s dish was a child of pure experiment.  I picked up a few Chorizo links at a farmer’s market.  They were very good looking semi soft sausages, which deserved to be treated with due respect and care.  Too bad I wasn’t interested in the Spanish Chorizo & Lentil soup, which would have been great on any day except today.  So I let my pantry lead the way.  Upon close inspection, I found: a few cans of various beans and a few bell peppers begging for mercy. The rest was added along the way.  Behold, a nice Spanish dish without blinking once. All in 25 minutes. Of which only 10 minutes were spent in the kitchen. Good girl.

Quick Chorizo & Three Bean Stew

• 3 tbsp fat (I used tallow)
• 4 Chorizo links, cut into 1/2″ slices
• 1 large onion, halved and sliced thinly
• 1/2 half garlic head
• 2 sweet bell peppers, seeded and sliced
• 1/2 tbsp Chipotle powder
• 1/2 tsp sweet paprika powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 stick cinnamon (optional)
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed in cold running water
• 1 can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed in cold running water
• 1 can Garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed in cold running water
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• salt to taste

1. In a Dutch oven, melt the fat over medium-high heat.
2. Throw in Chorizo slices and brown them, stirring a few times, for about 1-2 minutes
3. Add onion and garlic. Let the onions wilt and lightly brown, stir a few times.
4. Add pepper slices. Saute for 1-2 more minutes.
5. Add the remaining ingredients at this point. Bring to a quick boil, stir carefully to avoid breaking or mashing the beans.
6. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 15 minutes, until all the flavors blend nicely.
7. Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro (I didn’t have any), and serve. If you find the dish a bit too spicy, add a dollop of sour cream to cool your palate.