Calypso Beans, Greens and Pork Stew

• servings: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 lb pork shoulder

1 large red onion, chopped

4-8 garlic cloves, peeled

2 dried chipotle chiles (plus a small square of cheesecloth)

3 oz smoked, sun-dried tomatoes, snipped into small pieces (ordinary sun-dried tomatoes work fine, too, if you can’t find the smoked ones)

8 oz Belden Barns Calypso beans

2 large bunches of greens (kale, swiss chard or mustard), destemmed and coarsely chopped

Kosher salt

Half pound hot Italian sausage, cooked and cut into one-inch slices (optional)

Directions

In a large pot over medium-high, heat oil and brown the pork, about 5 minutes. Season generously with salt and remove from the pot. To the same pot add onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Return meat and juices to the pot. Remove seeds from chipotle chiles, wrap in cheesecloth and add to the pot. Add the snipped sun-dried tomatoes and 2 cups of water. Simmer, covered, over low heat until the meat is tender, 1-2 hours, adding more water if needed. (Alternatively, you can cook in the oven at 200 degrees for about 4 hours. Or try it in a slow-cooker!) Remove the cheesecloth-wrapped chiles from the stew when it reaches your preferred level of smokiness.

While the pork is cooking, put beans and 4 cups of water in a medium pot. (You can also add another dried chipotle chile if you want your beans spicy and smokey, too.) Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer beans covered until tender, about 1 hour.

Cook the greens in boiling salted water for 10 minutes, drain and set aside.

When meat is tender, add the greens and beans with some of their cooking liquid and the sausage if you’re using it. Simmer until all the ingredients are heated. Add salt to taste.

Notes

From the Santa Monica Farmers Market Cookbook

This hearty, full-flavored, smokey stew is beautiful to look at with the two-tone beans, the red tomatoes and the greens. Serve it over rice or with some crusty bread.