This dish is lamb and beans cooked Nuyorican style. In every recipe I’ve seen online, when making this dish the beans used are always white beans, either cannellini or great northern beans. We go against the grain and use red beans in this presentation. Nothing against white beans (which I love) but red beans, to my mind, gives the dish a whole different aspect, and consistency.

With this recipe, you can use canned beans, if desired, no problem there. Saves time and fuss. Since I’m a purist, I use dry red beans. Which means you have to soak them overnight and then cook. That’s the way my mother cooked beans, and its ingrained in family heritage. To me, dry beans render a better flavor and consistency. Maybe it’s all in my mind, I don’t know. Again, if you want to use canned beans, go right ahead.  It’s all an individual preference. Also, note that this dish calls for sofrito as one of the ingredients. Sofrito is an aromatic mix of herbs and spices that serves as abase for cooking countless Boricua (Native Puerto Rican) dishes. You can find a recipe for sofrito in this blog in a post on 08/11/10. Better yet, I have a video on making sofrito posted on 07/10/14. If you don’t have the time or inclination for making sofrito you can substitute a packet of Sazón, another flavoring popular in our culture. Goya makes as good version, and you can also get Sa-són Accent,  another equitable r brand

This time we served the lamb and beans with couscous; and it was a perfect pair. You can also serve it with  rice or farro. You can even pair it with pasta. The possibilities are endless.

If you’re a bean lover, and you like lamb, this dish is it. So, be adventurous. Try this one out, and impress everyone in your circle.

CORDERO CON HABICHUELAS
(Lamb with Beans)

 Ingredients:

1 ½ cup dry red cup beans
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup onions, peeled and chopped
1 pound lamb (bone leg or shoulder) washed and cut into ½-inch cubes
Water
1 tablespoon sofrito (see above)
1 bay leaf
¼ teaspoon oregano
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 (14-oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley

Instructions:

  1. Rinse beans under cold running water and place beans in a large saucepan or pot with water to cover by at least 2 inches and soak overnight.
  2. Next day, drain beans and put large pot with water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat and simmer for 1½ hours. Once beans are tender, remove to a platter and set aside.
  3. In a heavy kettle (or same pot you used to cook beans) heat olive oil on medium-high heat and sauté onion until lightly browned.
  4. Add lamb and cook until browned on all sides.
  5. Add beans and again, water to cover by 2 inches, sofrito, bay leaf, oregano, garlic, salt and pepper. Cover and cook on low heat for 1 hour.
  6. Add tomatoes and parsley and cook for another 30 minutes.
    Yield: 6 servings.