Pasulj

World Cup, Day 14 - Bosnia and Herzegovina

Pasulj

Bean Stew

Day 14 is here, amid the controversy of Luis Suarez taking a nibble on Italy's Giorgio Chiellini last night. I'll put it out there - for just 1% of your wages Chewy, sorry, Luis, I'll cook you a satisfying dinner each day. Think about it! Earlier, Bosnia & Herzegovina were knocked out of the tournament but not before achieving their first win at a World Cup. Pretty impressive for a country that is just 22 years old.

I made a pasulj (directly translated as 'bean') in honour of Bosnia and Herzegovina, although the dish is enjoyed in all the Balkan states. I researched recipes but they vary wildly from each other, so I took elements from each one and added my own touches. It certainly isn't authentic but it works. I added rice to make it more substantial but you could leave it out and add zafrig (oil mixed with flour) to thicken.

Serves 4

4 tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1 Onion (finely chopped)
1 stick of Celery (finely chopped)
1 Carrot (finely chopped)
1/2 Chilli (finely chopped)
160g Smoked Rashers (chopped)
150g Smoked Kabanossi Sausage (sliced)
750ml Boiling Water
400g tin of Cannellini Beans (drained)
1 Bay Leaf
150g Long Grain Rice
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

1. Heat the oil over a medium heat and add the onion, celery, carrot, chilli, rashers and sausage. Season and cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Add the boiling water, beans, bay leaf and rice. Season, bring to the boil and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the rice is tender. Remove the bay leaf before serving.