Alubia Blancas Beans With Clams And Spanish Chorizo ~ Rancho Gordo

Alubia Blancas Beans With Clams And Spanish Chorizo

Manila clams were used, and they were perfect.  When I have more free time, I might try and see if this one works with mussels. 

Ingredients:
4 cups cooked Alibi Blanca Beans or other white beans, bean broth

   reserved
1/4 cup EVOO
1/2 white onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup finely chopped Spanish-style cured chorizo
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 pounds small clams, well scrubbed
Country style bread and butter for serving.

Directions:
In a large pot, heat the beans in their broth over medium-low heat.

In a very large lidded saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium-low heat.  Add the onion, garlic, and salt and cook until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the chorizo and cook to allow the flavors to mingle, 5 to 6 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and wine and cook allowing the flavors to mingle, 5 to 6 minutes.  Increase the heat to medium and add the clams.  Cover and cook for about 5 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally.

Uncover the pan and cook until all of the clams open, another few minutes.  Remove the pan from thereat, then remove and discard any clams that did not open.

Add the clam mixture to the bean pot and stir very gently until well mixed.  Simmer for a few minutes to allow flavors to mingle but not get murky.

Ladle in large, shallow bowls and sprinkle with parsley.  Set out large bowl for discarded shells and encourage your guests to eat their clams with their fingers.

Pass plenty of good crusty bread and rich, creamy butter at the table.

Serves 4 to 6

Shrimp Creole

TOTAL TIME: Prep: 20 min. Cook: 40 min.YIELD:10 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 pound fully cooked Spanish chorizo links, sliced
• 2 cups cubed fully cooked ham
• 3/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
• 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 large green peppers, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
• 2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
• 3 cups instant brown rice
• 1/2 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Directions

• 1. In a Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add chorizo and ham; cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until browned.
• 2. Add chicken to pan; cook 5-7 minutes or until no longer pink. Stir in tomatoes, broth, peppers, onion, Cajun seasoning and pepper sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, 8-10 minutes or until peppers are crisp-tender.
• 3. Return to a boil; stir in rice and shrimp. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 7-9 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Remove from heat; let stand, covered, 5 minutes or until rice is tender. Yield: 10 servings.

Sardinian-Style Paella

Sardinian-Style Paella

Ingredients
Large pinch of saffron threads
6 1/2 cups warm water
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 pound fregola (2 1/4 cups)
1/2 pound chorizo, thinly sliced
1 cup canned diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup dry white wine
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 pounds large shrimp, shelled and deveined
2 pounds red snapper, cod or monkfish, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 pound mussels, scrubbed and debearded
1 pound cockles, scrubbed
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley


How to Make It
Step 1
In a small bowl, crumble the saffron in 1/2 cup of the warm water and let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a very large, deep sauté pan. Add the onion and garlic and cook over high heat, stirring, until lightly browned, 2 minutes. Add the fregola and chorizo and cook, stirring, until the chorizo releases some of its fat and starts to brown, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, white wine, saffron and its soaking liquid and the remaining 6 cups of warm water to the sauté pan and bring to a boil. Stir in 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper, cover and cook over low heat until the fregola is very chewy and soupy, about 10 minutes.

Step 2
Season the shrimp and red snapper with salt and pepper and add them to the pan along with the mussels and cockles, nestling them into the fregola. Bring to a boil. Cover the pan and cook over low heat until the fregola is al dente, the fish is just cooked through and the mussels and cockles have opened, about 12 minutes longer.

Serves 6 to 8