smoky fejoida

Friday night I made a quick, smoky fejoida that exceeded all my expectations. And, it was even better for lunch the next day. I had some roasted pork loin leftovers from earlier in the week, and combined with some shredded smoked turkey I had left over from a Christmas present to Beckey, it turned out to be a tasty combination. Fejoida traditionally has many "meats" in it, including "carne seca"; in this case, bacon, sausage, pork loin, and smoked turkey make a great, full flavored substitute.

Smoky Fejoida
Serves 8
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 65 minutes

2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup smoked bacon ends, or smoked bacon pieces, chopped into 1/2" pieces
1/2 of a polish sausage (polska kielbasa), sliced into 1/2" pieces
1 cup cooked pork loin roast, shredded or chopped into 1/2" pieces
1 cup cooked smoked turkey (breast, leg and/or thigh), chopped into 1/2" pieces

1/2 yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, smashed & rough chopped
1 can (14oz) Muir Glen whole tomatoes
2 30oz cans (60oz) black beans, drained and rinsed
1.5 cups chicken stock

1 large sprig (3") fresh thyme
5 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1 small sprig fresh Mexican oregano, chopped (about 1-2 tbsp)
2 bay leaves

1 tbsp worcheshire
1 tbsp Tabasco

Spices for the end
2 tbsp. parsley, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced

1. In large pot, heat olive oil, and add bacon. Cook over medium-low heat, about 5-7 minutes, to render out fat.
2. Add polish sausage pieces, and cook another 2-3 minutes.
3. Remove meat with slotted spoon, and drain and reserve grease.
4. Leave 1 tbsp of grease in pot, and return heat to medium.
5. Add onion & thyme, saute for 5 minutes
6. Reduce heat to low. Return bacon & sausage to pot.
7. Add rough chopped garlic, pork loin, smoked turkey, and stir to combine.
8. Meanwhile, put can of tomatoes (liquid and all) in blender or food processor, pulse quickly 3 times to crush.
9. Raise heat to medium. Add tomatoes, black beans, chicken stock, spices, chicken stock, and enough water to just cover the mixture. Stir briefly to mix, cover, and heat until it reaches a slow simmer.
10. Once simmering, lower heat to low/medium-low and simmer for at least 60 minutes.
11. After 60 minutes, stir in parsley & minced garlic. Let heat for 5 minutes further.
11. Serve with steamed white rice, collard greens sauteed in butter & garlic, and slices of orange.
12. Let the fejoida cool at room temperature, then store it tightly covered in the fridge for up to 5 days; or freeze it for up to 1 month.

bread troubleshooting

Good resource for troubleshooting issues with bread:

http://allrecipes.com/advice/coll/baking/articles/152P1.asp
http://www.baking911.com/bread/problems.htm
http://www.breadmachinedigest.com/beginners/troubleshooting_chart.html

Thus two problems with grandma's bread from this last time may be resolved:
1. Forgot to add the salt, so the rise was really high!
2. Gumminess probably due to either insufficient cook time or too high temperature at start of baking.

the great zucchini

Went to Brazilian restaurant "Picanha" in Burbank today with some friends, and had a tasty side disk of zucchini, which I normally don't like but was delicious. It consisted of:

zuchinni, sliced into 1/3" rounds (or slightly thicker than 1/4")
red onions, sliced & sauteed
scallions (green parts only)
teriyaki sauce
a bit of oil

Warm, fresh and delicious! Zuchinni was tender but not soggy (still some tooth), red onions were soft and transparent, all rounded out by the nice sweet, salty flavor of the teriyaki sauce. Excellent.