Sevilla´s Best-Kept White Bean Stew (Potaje de Chícharos)
Sevilla´s Best-Kept White Bean Stew (Potaje de Chícharos)
This Spanish white bean stew hails from the province of Sevilla in the south of Spain. It´s packed with so many great flavors, it´s easy to make and comes together in about 40 minutes. Folks, this is the kind of dish, that´s going to warm your soul and fill your body with so much goodness.

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!

 

Author, educator, musician, dancer and all around creative type. Founder of "The Happy Now" website and the online jewelry store "Silver and Sage".