Bean And Barley Stew - cooking recipe

Ingredients

450 g dry pinto beans
450 g dry pinto beans
150 g pearl barley
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
2 onions, chopped (about 250 g)
4 garlic cloves, chopped
300 g smoked pork necks, diced
1 carrot, peeled (150 g)
100 g celery root, peeled
100 g parsley roots, peeled
1 red horn pepper, cut into chunks
1 dried bay leaf
1 celery, leaf
1500 ml water
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preparation

Soak dry pinto beans in plenty of water overnight. Drain and rinse the beans.
Soak pearled barley in plenty of water overnight. Drain and rinse the barley. Cook al dente in a double amount of water. Drain and set aside.
In a large pot saute onions and garlic in sunflower oil for 5 minutes until soft, stirring frequently. Add diced smoked pork neck, stir and saute for 5 more minutes.
Meanwhile, make a mirepoix (soffritto or Holy trinity) from carrot, celery and parsley root and red horn pepper: cut the root vegetables into smaller pieces and coarsely chop in a blender. Add horn pepper chunks and pulse once or twice.
Add mirepoix to onions and smoked meat, stir and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Add beans, bay and celery leaf, water, and salt and bring to the boil. Turn down the heat, cover the pot and continue to cook for 25 - 30 minutes.
Stir in cooked barley, continue to cook for 5 minutes or until the beans are cooked (al dente).
Season with ground black pepper and serve.