TGIFood
What’s cooking today: Pork & beans potjie
There’s pork neck and sausages, two kinds of beans, peppers, tomato and plenty of spice in this potjie (or oven casserole) recipe worth making on a slow late winter’s day. One to save up for the coming weekend, perhaps...
Reminiscent in a way of France’s cassoulet, but also of Mexican cuisine with plenty of beans and bell peppers, lots of spice and a chilli or two, this is hearty and worth a few hours at the braai side.
Ingredients
2 x 200 g pork neck, cubed
250 g pork sausage, cut into 4 cm chunks
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 green pepper, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 red onion, chopped
12 baby onions, peeled
3 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
1 red chilli, chopped finely
1 x 400 g can chopped tomatoes
1 x 400 g can red kidney beans
1 x 400 g can speckled sugar beans
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp chilli powder
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
2 cups beef stock
Salt and black pepper to taste
¼ cup chopped coriander/cilantro
Method
Have a fire going with plenty of hot coals available. Put some under the potjie and heat the pot. Add olive oil to the potjie, heat it for a few minutes, then add the chopped red onion and peppers, stir and simmer for 5 minutes.
Add the pork neck, stir, and braise for 10 minutes.
Add the baby onions, garlic and chilli, as well as the tomatoes, beans, spices and beef stock, season with salt and pepper, then stir in the pieces of sausage, cover and simmer for 3 hours, gently.
Add a few coals underneath every now and then, but not too many, and 3 or 4 small hot coals on the lid. Serve with mashed potato, pap, or polenta, and garnish with coriander leaves. DM/TGIFood
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Cassoulet, more or less