The Last Quarter

October is here. Three-fourths of 2007...gone!

The sun has come out for a number of hours each day. It is supposedly spring here in Lima, Peru - but you'd hardly know it! I am still enjoying the flavors of winter while longing to be in the US season of fall! The delicious taste of stews and soups are continuing to dominate my cravings.

I am trying to incorporate more beans into my diet. The Peruvian Pallar is one lucky candidate. As I mentioned before, I had no idea where pallares (lima bean or butter bean) had come from until I read a bit about them and discovered they are considered the "large-seeded type" of P. lunatus. Wikipedia tells us that, "During the Spanish Viceroyalty of Peru, lima beans were exported to the rest of the Americas and Europe, since the boxes of such goods had their place of origin labeled "Lima - Peru", the beans got named as such."

In honor of that comes today's recipe:

Pallarada

1 tablespoon of canola oil
1 pound of smoked ham (short ribs, bacon, cutlets, etc)
1 onion, finely diced
1 teaspoon of minced garlic
1 tablespoon of aji panca
1 teaspoon of ground oregano
500 g of pallares, soaked overnight & drained
2 liters of beef broth
salt and pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the ham and cook until browned. Remove the browned ham and keep warm. Add the onions and garlic, sauteeing until slightly browned, then return the ham to the pot with the onions. Season the mixture with the aji panca and oregano, then add the pallares along with the beef broth. Allow this to cook over low heat for about an hour, seasoning with salt and pepper once the pallares have fully softened. Continue to simmer until the liquid is mostly gone. Serve with hot white rice. Serves 4-6.