11.23.2010

29 & 28

So you know what is so great about Spain? Unsolicited help. Everyone here in Zamora is so nice! I always buy my produce at El Cid -- a little store front on Calle Amargura. They are usually pretty packed with old folks but if you can get there before the crowd hits, it is so lovely to just walked around in circles and read labels and oogle things you've never seen before. This week however, I walked in with a goal: I wanted to make a pot of beans. I asked where the beans were and voila I had a personal shopper and recipe book at hand. The lady (I've got to get her name!) explained every type of bean, their origin, and how they cook. We settled on Pintas and as I checked out, she began to tell me the best way to do it. Then, the two ladies in line behind me chimed in and within minutes, I knew what to do, what to avoid and a request for me to return with my results.

And to let you know, the beans turned out wonderfully. They are the perfect meal for the fall-turned-winter weather :) Here, friends and family, is some unsolicited help for you:

Beans
Soak beans overnight in water.

saute garlic, onion, red and green peppers, carrots in a large pot. cook them down until the carrots are almost tender. rinse and add beans. add WARM or HOT water (never cold says the El Cid lady) and add chicken broth until everything is covered. add cumin and bay leaf. bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook for 2-3 hours until everything is tender, and desired juice is left. Add salt only at the end to prevent the beans from breaking.

que aprobeche!

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