Southwestern Potato, Bean & Rice Stew
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1
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Tbs
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vegetable oil or grapeseed oil
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2
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onions, medium, diced
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1
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carrot, large, peeled and diced
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1
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celery stalk, washed and diced
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6
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garlic cloves, minced
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4
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jalapeno chilies, seeded and minced
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1
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bay leaf
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1/2
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tsp
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dried basil
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1/2
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tsp
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dried thyme
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1
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tsp
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ground cumin
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1/2
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cup
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black beans, picked and rinsed
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6
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cups
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water (more if needed)
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1
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can
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diced tomatoes (28 oz.)
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2
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Idaho potatoes, medium, peeled and diced
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1
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cup
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brown rice (long grain basmati)
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3
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Tbs
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cilantro, chopped
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salt and pepper to taste
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1
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Dissolve 4 tsp salt in 6 cups cold water in large bowl or container. Add beans and soak at room temperature for 8 - 24 hours. Drain and rinse well.
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2
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Quick soak method: Boil dried black beans in 6 cups of salted water (as above) for 2 minutes. Turn burner off and cover pot with lid for 1 hour. Drain, rinse and proceed with recipe.
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3
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In a large saucepan, heat the oil over high heat until lightly smoking. Add the onion, carrot and celery and cook for 4 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, jalapeno chilies and the bay leaf. Continue to cook for 2 minutes longer.
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4
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Add the basil, thyme and cumin and cook for 30 seconds, stirring frequently. Add the beans and 6 cups water to come 2 inches above the beans. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Let simmer for 60 minutes, checking periodically to make sure level of water is above beans. Add the tomatoes, potatoes and rice. If necessary, add more water to cover the ingredients. Cover pan with a lid. Simmer for 35-45 minutes, until the potato is soft and the rice is cooked. Add the cilantro and season with salt and pepper. Makes 8 servings.
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5
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Let recipe rest for 30 minutes prior to serving.
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6
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Note: Chef Pyles added crumbled tortilla chips before serving the soup.
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Tips
Wear RUBBER GLOVES when seeding and mincing Jalapeno Peppers to prevent skin from burning.
Why does soaking dried beans in salted water make them cook up with softer skins? Calcium and magnesium, two minerals present in beans, strengthen the cell walls of the bean skins, making it difficult for water to penetrate the skins and soften the beans. These minerals are also commonly found in tap water. You could use distilled water to avoid reinforcing the toughening effect of the minerals, but a handier and more effective solution is to add salt to tap water. As the beans soak, the sodium ions in the salt replace some of the calcium and magnesium ions in the skins. Because sodium ions are weaker than mineral ions, they allow more water to penetrate into the skins, leading to a softer texture. During soaking, the sodium ions will only filter partway into the beans, so their greatest effect is on the cells in the outermost part of the beans.
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Source
Author: chef Stephan Pyles, Star Canyon (a 4-star restaurant in Dallas)
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