Sevilla´s Best-Kept White Bean Stew (Potaje de Chícharos)

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 slices baguette
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 onion
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 tsp sweet smoked Spanish paprika
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce 115 grams
• 1 large yukon gold potato
• 2 cups cooked white beans (canned or jarred)
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 3 tbsp finely chopped parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• pinch sea salt
• dash black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat a large deep fry pan or stock pot with a medium heat and add in 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2. After 2 minutes add in 2 slices baguette (1/2 inch / 1.25 cm thick) and 4 cloves garlic (peeled), fry the slices of baguette for 2 minutes per side and the cloves of garlic for 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden fried, remove the garlic and slices of baguette from the pan and transfer into a mortar, set aside
3. Using the same pan with the same heat, add in 1 onion roughly diced and 1 green bell pepper finely chopped, mix with the olive oil, after 5 minutes and the onion is translucent, add in 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika and quickly mix together, then add in 1/2 cup tomato sauce and simmer for a couple of minutes
4. After 3 minutes and the tomato sauce has thickend, add in 1 large potato that´s been cut into small 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick pieces, 2 cups cooked white beans (I used jarred and rinsed before adding) and season with sea salt & black pepper, gently mix together until well mixed, then add in 3 cups vegetable broth and 1 bay leaf, raise the heat to a high heat and mix together, once it comes to a boil, place a lid on the pan and lower the heat to a low-medium heat
5. While the stew is cooking, move back to the mortar with the garlic & bread, add in 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley and a pinch of sea salt, using a pestle pound down on the ingredients until you form a paste
6. About 20 minutes after placing the lid on the pan, the potatoes should be perfectly cooked, if you can pierce them with a toothpick and it easily goes in, they are ready, for the final step add the bread & garlic mixture into the stew, mix together and cook for another 2 minutes, then remove from the heat
7. Transfer into shallow bowls and sprinkle with finely chopped parsley, enjoy!