Combination of black beans and cassava flour (farofa)

⚫  This combination of beans and cassava, is nutritionally very complete and delicate flavor.

Preparation:               

• In a saucepan cook the beans, which we previously hydrated the night before, with an onion, two bay leaves and salt to taste.

• In a skillet, heat extra virgin olive oil to sauté a finely chopped onion and when it is softened, add some finely chopped garlic cloves; stir and let make some minutes. Then, add the manioc flour, stir and let make (over a low heat); meanwhile, dice two peeled tomatoes and add them; stir; cover with water and rectify the flavor with a little salt (to taste). Leave it to simmer. When the tomato is nearly cooked, add some peas and let simmer,

Ingredients (Serves 4): 

Note: 

• The quantities and ingredients are always to the taste of the one who prepares the dish. Well, just when preparing this recipe, the vegetables I had at that moment were tomatoes and peas, in addition to the usual onions and garlic bulbs. 

• This time I have not added a little sugar to reduce the acidity of the tomato because it is not necessary. The cassava flour, prepared like this, acquires a gelatinous texture.

200 g  black beans ;
150 g  peas  (frozen)
2 medium  tomatoes ;
2 large  onions ;
4 garlic  cloves ;
1 tea cup of  cassava flour ;
 bay leaves ;
 extra virgin olive oil ; 
sea salt (to taste)

>> see more pulses recipes 

                    
 

Mediterranean savor: Bean stew with a marked Portuguese style.

◾  There are several recipes inside Portuguese cuisine of dishes made with a rice stock, so that inspired by that kind of dishes I created this delicious stew.

◾   It is an ideal dish to prepare not only in cold seasons, but also after the feast days, with food of “heavy” digestion; because it is a dish which “perks you up” your stomach  and makes you feel very comfortable.

Preparation:

The evening before, put the beans to soak, to hydrate them.   

The next day:

• Cook the beans with one onion, two bay leaves, one dried chili pepper and sea salt (to taste) in plenty of water. The water from cooking is used as stock for the stew.  

• Cover the bottom of a saucepan, similar to a paella pan with lid, with extra virgin olive oil and put it to heat. Meanwhile, chop an onion and when the oil is hot, sauté the onion over a low heat. Chop the cloves of garlic and add them when the onion is softened. Stir and let make some minutes.    

• Add the spices (basil and oregano; on other occasions, I have used rosemary, thyme and a dash of ground cumin; the use of the spices is always to the taste of the one who prepares the recipe). Stir and let make.      

• Dice the peeled tomatoes and add them together with a dash of sugar (to neutralize the acidity of tomato), stir. Let make everything over a low heat so that the flavors will combine and sauté in their own juice. 

• Add the brown rice, stir and then add the white beans (it doesn´t matter although they aren´t completely cooked because they finish their cooking together with the remaining ingredients, since the brown rice needs cooking almost an hour). The stock we use is the one from cooking the beans.                         

Ingredients (serves 4):

Note: The quantities and ingredients are always to taste of the one who prepares the recipe.

200 g white beans,

2 large  tomatoes ,

2 large onions,

5 large cloves of garlic,

1 coffee cup round-grain brown rice, from Calasparra D.O.  

1 tablespoon dried  basil ,

1 tablespoon dried  oregano ,

1 teaspoon  Muscovado sugar ,

1 dried  chili pepper (optional),

2  bay leaves ,

 extra virgin olive oil            

sea salt (to taste)

Approximate time: 2 hours

>> see more stew recipes

                   

Mediterranean Savor: Couscous tabbouleh with vegetables and avocado.

The Berber, imazighen (free men), represent a group of native ethnic groups to North Africa, specifically  in a wide strip that goes from the Atlantic Ocean to the Siwa Oasis in Egypt, bounded to the north by the Mediterranean Sea and south by the Sahara Desert.                              

Speaking about couscous, alcuzcuz, is to speak of a traditional food of Berber culture. The grains of hard wheat semolina are crushed without turning them into flour, until they reach a rounded shape, hence it comes the meaning of the word couscous (round).                  

The couscous is rich in carbohydrates, fiber, proteins, vitamin B complex, iron, phosphorus and potassium.  

Preparation of the tabbouleh:

Vegetables: cherry tomato (or another variety of tomato), cucumber  and onion. Fruits: avocado, lemon (for dressing).

• Dice the ingredients, mix them in with the couscous and dress the salad with the lemon juice and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, sea salt (to taste).

• It is a dish with a high nutritional value.    

Note: 

- In the most traditional recipes, the ingredients are cut into very small dices.

Preparation of the couscous:

• Place it in a serving dish and pour boiling water or vegetable stock over the couscous. The measure I use is one of couscous by one and a half of liquid (water or vegetable stock).                                               
• You will see how the couscous absorbs the liquid and grows.
• So that it is released and does not stick together, stir with a fork. 

>> more recipes with couscous