I recently visited Cornwall for a few days as my school friends had rented a large cottage for the week. The kitchen was an absolute delight and I insisted on cooking some good East European fare for my 7 companions.
The best thing about East European cooking is that the recipes are usually not desperately complicated, require just one or two pots and few ingredients, which keeps both washing up and costs down, yet enables you to create a really hearty and tasty meal.
Although this bean stew required smoked pork and a ham bone, I cheated and used pork chops and smoked bacon which added the required smokey flavour. Everyone seemed to enjoy it so I would definitely recommend this recipe!
Ingredients (serves 8 hungry beings)
2 white onions
1 tbsp sunflower oil
2 red chilies
1 tbsp Hungarian hot paprika (or to taste)
3 tins of mixed beans
20 black peppercorns
8 pork chops
500g smoked bacon
4 tbsp cornflour
Tomato puree or chili powder for colour if desired
Handful of chopped parsley for garnish
Crusty white bread to serve
Instructions
Put mixed beans into saucepan
Place pork chops on top of beans
Just cover pork with cold water and add peppercorns
Heat until boiling
Reduce heat, cover pan and leave on gentle simmer for 2 hours
Remove pork chops from pan
Cut off fat and bone and cut into chunks
Return pork to pan
Chop onions and heat in sunflower oil in separate pan until translucent
Add chopped and deseeded chili to onion and cook for 5-10 minutes
Chop smoked bacon and add to onion and chili and cook until crispy
Add paprika to bacon mix, stir and cook for 5 minutes
Add cornflour to bacon mix, stir and cook for 5-10 minutes
Add bacon mix to stew and stir
Cook for further 10 minutes until well mixed
If desire deeper red colour, add tablespoon of tomato puree or chili powder
Serve into bowls, garnish with parsley (I forgot to!) and serve with chunky white bread
Serve!
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