Frijoles con garra y tocineta - Red beans with pigs' feet and smoked bacon - a Colombian classic
Red beans are a typical dish of the Colombian, Andean region. This recipe is the traditional base recipe with some small tweaks following my personal taste. Don't be scared by the pigs' feet you don't have to eat them, just cook them with the beans for an incredibly unique flavor.
Today I decided to prepare a Colombian classic dish - red beans with pork feet and smoked bacon. This dish is the base for one of the most representative dishes of traditional, local Colombian cuisine the "bandeja paisa". If you are on low fat and low calorie diet, skip this dish. Today I will explain how I like to prepare red beans which mostly follows the traditional way with some personal twists.
Ingredients for 6 portions (as always generously served)
To cook the beans:
- 500g of dry red beans (soaked in cold water for at least 24 hours)
- 800g of pigs' feet (2 feet)
- 500g of smoked pork bacon (raw or cooked)
- 1 green plantaine, cut into small cubes
- 1 1/2 carrot, grated
- Half a leek, finely cut
- teaspoon of salt
For the Guiso (tomato sauce):
- 500g of tomatoes, peeled and cut into pieces
- 2 scallions, cut into small pieces
- 1 onion cut into fine pieces
- 3 spoons of vegetable oil
- 2 dents of garlic cut into fine pieces
- Fresh coriander, one spoon, finely cut
- half a teaspoon of Salt
- Ground cumin
The preparation is fairly simple. The red beans should have soaked in water for at least 24 hours. If possible change the water every 8 hours and wash the beans. This makes them easier to digest. In a big, wide cooking pot fry the the smoked bacon and the feet for 15 minutes at medium to high heat. Now add the red beans, the salt and about 2.5 liters of water. Close the lid and let the beans and meat cook for about 2 hours at medium to low heat. Try the beans once in a while and when they are getting close to being cooked add the plantaine cubes, the carrots and the leek.
To prepare the guiso sauce that needs to get mixed with the beans fry the scallions and onions for about 5 minutes in vegetable oil in a pan. Now add the tomatoes, and the rest of the ingredients. Let the mixture cook for about 10 - 15 minutes at medium to low heat. Don't overcook or the guiso might get bitter! Squeeze all bigger pieces of tomato with a wooden spoon and when you have a smooth sauce add it to the beans. Let the mixture cook for another 45 minutes. If the beans are too dry add some water.
That's it, your beans are ready! If the sauce is too liquid just squeeze some of the cooked beans with a spoon and let them cook for a few more minutes. The flour of the squeezed beans will thicken the sauce.
I like to eat my beans with rice and fried pork or blood sausage. Enjoy a Colombian classic!
