White Beans With Chorizo, Clams And Shrimp

White Beans With Chorizo, Clams And Shrimp

Serves: 6 to 8

This recipe is from Russ Parsons of the Los Angeles Times.

• Ingredients:

• White beans: ¼ pound Spanish chorizo, diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 pound dried white beans, such as cannellini or Great Northern

7 cups water

1 bay leaf

1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

• Clams and shrimp:

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, chopped

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

½ cup dry white wine

1¼ cups crushed tomatoes

1 pound large peeled and deveined shrimp, cut into bite-size pieces

2 pounds Manila clams

Salt to taste

Chopped pickled green peppers, such as pepperoncini, for garnish

Chopped parsley, if desired, for garnish

• Instructions:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Cook the chorizo in olive oil in the bottom of a Dutch oven over medium heat on the stove top until the chorizo has rendered some fat and begun to brown, about five minutes. Add the bell pepper and cook until it begins to soften, about three minutes. Add the onion and cook until soft, about five minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about three minutes.

Add the dried beans, water and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally. Cover tightly and bake in the oven for one hour. Add the salt, stir and continue cooking, covered, until the beans are tender, 45 minutes to one hour. The beans should be like a thin stew; if necessary, add more water, one-quarter cup at a time. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Season to taste with more salt if necessary, and freshly ground black pepper. (The dish can be prepared up to this point a day ahead and refrigerated, tightly covered.)

Clams and shrimp: Reheat the beans, if necessary. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet that has a tight-fitting lid. Add the garlic and parsley and cook until fragrant, about three minutes. Add the white wine and reduce to a thin syrup, about three minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes and cook until slightly reduced, about five minutes.

Add the shrimp and clams, cover tightly and raise the heat to high. Cook, frequently giving the pan a vigorous shake (holding the lid on firmly), until the clams have opened, about five minutes.

Gently stir the clams and shrimp into the warmed beans and heat through. Season to taste with more salt, if necessary. This makes about 12 cups stew. Ladle the stew into shallow soup or pasta bowls and sprinkle each with about 2 teaspoons of the chopped pickled peppers and the parsley if using. Serve immediately.

• Per serving, based on 8 servings: 415 calories; 30 grams protein; 42 grams carbohydrates; 14 grams fat (3 saturated); 95 milligrams cholesterol; 870 milligrams sodium; 10 grams fiber; 2 grams sugar