Cuban-Miami Stew: Caldo Gallego
from a cozy mystery novel by Raquel V. Reyes
Ingredients
- 5 strips bacon or 1 thick strip smoked pork belly, cubed
- 4 links cured Spanish chorizo
- 1 white onion, diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 3 loves garlic, diced
- 2 medium-to-large yellow potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 2-3 bay leaves
- 1½ tsp teaspoon parsley (dry is fine)
- 2 cans cannellini beans, rinsed
- 2-3 handfuls dark leafy greens (collards, spinach, callaloo, kale) in bite-size strips
- salt to taste
Instructions
- This is cooked in one pot. I recommend a Dutch oven, but a wide stockpot will work.
- Fry the bacon or pork belly. Drizzle a little olive oil if needed so the bacon doesn't burn before it renders its fat. Once cooked thoroughly, remove and set aside for later. Leave the rendered fat in the pot.
- Peel the skin from the chorizo and slice.
- Add the sausage and the diced onion to the pot.
- Sauté until onion is translucent, then add the green pepper and garlic.
- Once the pepper is tender, add the cubed potatoes.
- Cover with chicken stock and water.
- Add bay leaves and parsley.
- Add beans.
- Cover and simmer on low to medium until potatoes are fork-tender (20 to 40 minutes).
- Add greens and bacon.
- Taste and add salt if needed (it will probably have enough salt already due to the meats and stock).
- erve with a piece of crunchy-crusted bread.