White Bean Chorizo Bake

We are quite literally snowed in today. So, I made my good ol’ snowed in standby of White Bean Chorizo Bake.

I like to keep local fresh (not smoked) chorizo on hand in the freezer because, as strange as it sounds, it’s pretty versatile. The spice goes well with most sweet vegetables and adds zip to mellow things like white beans or potatoes. The idea for this dish is similar to cassoulet – in that it consists of white beans and sausage – except there is no duck, goose, lamb shoulder, salt pork or wine. It’s more dressed down than that. The pajama pant of the cassoulet world. The indoor shoe.

In fact, forget what I said. It’s nowhere near as complex and interesting as cassoulet. It’s more of a knock-off Manolo Blahnik of the cassoulet world. But really. Who wants a whole farmyard in a pot? Just throwing that out there.

I will say though that White Bean Chorizo Bake is packed with protein and flavor. The Great Northern beans pick up what the chorizo puts down and the bacon takes no guff about it not being salt pork. It’s happy just as it is. Serve with a crusty French bread and a fresh green salad and you’re having a fine time.

White Bean Chorizo Bake – serves 4- 6

3 C cooked Great Northern beans, or 2 – 15 ounce cans
1/2 lb bacon, cut into small 2 inch strips
1/2 lb chorizo, about 4 links
4 garlic cloves
2 C chicken stock

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a cast iron or enamel dutch oven saute the bacon on medium-low heat to melt down the fat, about 20 minutes. Watch to be sure it doesn’t burn.

While the bacon cooks, crush the garlic with the side of a knife and loosely chop.

Slice the chorizo in half crosswise and then in half lengthwise.

Remove the bacon from the pan and drain the fat (this can be reserved in a canning jar and used for other recipes.)

Place the sausage cut side down in the pan and allow to brown slightly on medium-low heat for about 5 minutes.

Add the beans, garlic, chicken stock and bacon to the pot. Stir to combine.

Place on the middle rack in the oven and bake for 1 – 1.5 hours. Serve hot.

Ingredient Origins: Great Northern Beans – Michigan; Bacon – Maine; Chorizo – Maine; Garlic – California; Chicken Stock – Oregon

Winter Vegetable and Chorizo Medley

A good nutritional rule of thumb is to try to have at least one serving of fruit or vegetable from each color of the rainbow every day. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet. White? I guess potatoes get the shaft in this scenario. Either way, this dish covers two of the six – or three if white counts. Beets and cabbage are both nutritional superstars. Chorizo is really just along for the ride, because I like to think that any meal loaded with vegetable based vitamins and minerals deserves a muse.

The potatoes and beets are roasted in separate dishes with a little bit of olive oil, giving the pieces a delicate skin. The potatoes end up with a buttery softness. The cabbage takes on a hearty flavor from steaming in the pan with the browned chorizo, and the beets’ sweetness plays well with the spice of the chorizo. You may want to double this recipe, because everyone will want seconds. Another great thing about this recipe is that it’s not necessary to use salt. The chorizo and beets pack a lot of flavor on their own.

Winter Vegetable and Chorizo Medley – serves 2 – 4

4 new potatoes, or 2 medium boiling potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 medium beets, peeled and chopped
1/2 head of green cabbage, chopped
1 t+1 t+1 T olive oil
2 chorizo sausages, sliced

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees

Place beets and potatoes in separate baking dishes. Drizzle each with one tablespoon of olive oil and toss to coat. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, until fork tender.

Heat one tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet on medium. Add chorizo and brown. Add cabbage, cover and allow cabbage to steam for 10 minutes over medium heat. Remove lid and cook and additional 5 – 10 minutes, allowing some of the liquid to cook off.

Pour cabbage and sausage mixture into a serving plate or shallow bowl, add potatoes and toss. Scatter beets on top of the mixture. Serve hot and definitely try a bite with each ingredient combined because it’s a great flavor combo.

Ingredient origins: Potatoes, beets, cabbage – Massachusetts, Chorizo – New Hampshire, Olive oil – Spain

Potato Celeriac Leek Soup with Chorizo

After what’s beginning to seem like weeks of heavy Thanksgiving leftovers, I decided it was time for a light meal. I wish I could be one of those people who can be satisfied with a light cleansing soup of just boiled vegetables, but I’m not. Call me greedy. Call me anemic. Either way I need protein and iron, even if it’s just a small amount to round out a meal.

Today was farmer’s market day and I picked up some lovely winter vegetables – leeks, celeriac (celery root), beets, potatoes, cabbage and a stalk of Brussels sprouts. I also stopped by the local meat stall and bought a pound of fresh chorizo made from naturally raised pork.

The following is a very satisfying, flavorful and low-fat soup. Perfect for a light post-feast meal. I only used one sausage in this recipe both to keep it light and also to keep the flavor focused on the soup. The chorizo adds the perfect amount of spice to complement the celeriac’s sweetness, and browning brings a needed crisp texture to this otherwise smooth soup.

Potato Celeriac Leek Soup with Chorizo – serves 2

1 T butter
3 small or 2 large leeks, tops removed, cleaned and chopped
3 small or 2 medium boiling potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 medium celeriac, peeled and chopped
3 C chicken or vegetable stock
1/4- 1/2 t smoked salt
1 fresh chorizo sausage
1 T sour cream
1 T chopped scallion

In a large stockpot, melt butter and add leeks. Cook until softened, 5 minutes. Add chicken stock, potatoes and celeriac. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are fork-tender.

Meanwhile slice chorizo into discs. Heat a skillet over a medium flame and add chorizo slices. Brown either side, then cover for 5 minutes.

Transfer soup to a heat resistant blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.

Garnish with a spoonful of sour cream and a sprinkle of chopped scallion. Top with cooked chorizo.

Ingredient origins: Butter – Maine; Organic leeks, celeriac, potatoes, scallions – Massachusetts; Organic chicken stock – Oregon; Smoked sea salt – Maine; Fresh chorizo – New Hampshire; Sour cream – Dallas (normally I buy sour cream from Vermont since there are such fantastic dairies, but this was the only one I could find the day before Thanksgiving)