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.

Beans on Toast

Beans on Toast has got to be the saviour of Irish Mammies! What's simpler than heating a tin of beans and spreading over some well buttered toast? Kids and adults alike tend to love it and in my house growing up, beans could accompany any dinner imaginable. Admittedly I was never a big fan of Baked Beans, I always found them a little too mundane and boring so I decided to come up with a Bean recipe that would allow me to enjoy these little beauties.


This recipe is slightly spicy but is delicious as a snack on its own or (as in our house) as a side dish with almost anything else! The Prosciutto imparts its lovely flavour on the beans and really lifts the dish, dont be tempted to use standard ham, it wont be the same!





Serves 3 as a snack or 5 as a side


2tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Large Onion (finely chopped)
1 Red Chilli (deseeded and finely chopped)
1 Clove of Garlic (finely chopped)
2 Slices of Parma Ham/Prosciutto (torn)
500g Tomato Passata
1 Tin Cannellini Beans (drained)
1/4tsp Paprika

1/4tsp Cayenne Pepper
Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper

3 White Baps





1. Add the Oil to a pan over a medium heat and add the Onion, Chilli and Garlic, season well with Salt and Pepper. Cook for 5-7 minutes until soft. Add the Parma Ham/Prosciutto and cook for 2-3 minutes.

2. Add the Passata, Beans and Spices, season and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes until beans are tender.

3. Meanwhile, cut the baps in half and brush the inside with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil, sprinkle with a very small amount of salt and place cut side down on a very hot griddle pan for 4-5 minutes until toasted.

4. Butter the Baps and serve with the Beans.

Variations:

Dont be afraid to try any different herbs/spices that take your fancy and really tweak this dish to your own taste. Although the Prosciutto is one of the main flavours of this dish it could be swapped out for some smoked rashers for an extra flavour burst. Finely Chopped Carrots, Celery or Courgette could also be added at the start to add to the Veg count. Make this one your own!