Chicken and Black Bean Stew

By andrew.zimmern on Thu, 08/16/2007 - 20:10

Summary

Yield
Prep Time	hours
Country	Mexico
Main Ingredient	Chicken
Meal	Soups + Stews
Season	Any Time

Description

This is one of my favorite recipes for when the weather gets blustery. Everyone loves it and the Latin flavors are an incomparable addition to a dinner party. You should anticipate your family fighting over the ham hock, so be warned.

Ingredients

1 lb black beans
3 T olive oil
6 chicken legs
2 ham hocks
1 lb andoille sausage, sliced into 1-inch chunks
1 large red bell pepper, in small dice
1 diced poblano pepper
2 diced yellow onions
2 diced celery ribs
2 roasted hot peppers (jalapenos or serranos)
8 clv sliced garlic
2 fresh bay leaves
3 T ground cumin
2 t dried oregano
2 c diced tomatoes (canned is fine)
2 q Chicken stock
4 T minced cilantro
3 T ancho chile powder

Instructions

Put beans in a tub of cool water and let sit overnight in the fridge. Drain well.

Place oil in a large pot over medium heat. Brown chicken and reserve to the fridge.

Add to the pot: ham hocks, sausage, peppers, onions, celery, hot peppers, and garlic. Saute until onions are translucent and add the fresh and dry herbs. Saute for a few minutes more.

Place beans, tomatoes, and stock into pot. Bring to a simmer and cook for one hour. Add chicken. Continue to simmer beans until tender, for an hour or 90 minutes more, stirring frequently and adding more stock if needed—but remember, you are not making soup!

This is really good when seasoned with sea salt, a good splash of sherry, and fresh lime juice and served with steamed rice, tortillas, and avocado slices.