Arrocina Beans with Chorizo, Morcilla and Pork Belly
A favourite winter dish in Spain, this pork belly recipe is accompanied by arrocina beans, fragrant fennel, morcilla and smoky chorizo.
Introduction
This is one of our very favourite winter dishes. It works brilliantly as a one-pot wonder and can be enjoyed over several days, as it carries on getting better and better. Many a broken man has been mended at Barrafina after devouring this dish – it has that sort of effect. Arrocina beans are tiny white beans grown in the Gredos mountains of Spain. Remember to soak them overnight.
Ingredients
| 500g | top-quality pork belly |
| 4–5 dsp | extra virgin olive oil |
| Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper | |
| 1 tsp | cumin seeds |
| 2 | fennel bulbs, cut into 1cm dice |
| 2 | medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1cm dice |
| 2 | large shallots, peeled and diced |
| 1 | large leek, cut into 1cm dice |
| 2 | sticks of celery, cut into 1cm dice |
| 1 | head of garlic, cloves peeled and finely chopped |
| 150g | morcilla curada |
| 3 | dried choricero peppers, soaked in warm water for 2 hours |
| 3 | dried guindilla chillies, cut in half lengthways |
| 5 | bay leaves, fresh if possible |
| 1 | small bunch of fresh thyme |
| 500g | Arrocina beans, soaked in cold water overnight |
| 2l | chicken stock |
| 800g | cooking chorizo, sliced |
| 150g | morcilla de Burgos, skin removed, sliced |
| 1 | savoy cabbage, core removed, heart finely sliced and lightly cooked |
Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Rub the meaty side of the pork belly with a little of the olive oil and season it with salt, pepper and cumin seeds. Put it into a large roasting tray, skin side down, and roast in the oven for 2 hours. Remove from the oven and cut the pork belly into 3cm strips across its width. Set aside.
Meanwhile, heat a large pan or casserole over a medium heat and add 2 dessertspoons of olive oil. Add the vegetables and garlic and cook gently, stirring, for 10 minutes.
Peel the morcilla curada and crumble it into the casserole with your hands. Drain the choricero peppers and slice, removing the seeds. Add the choriceros, chillies, bay leaves and thyme to the casserole and cook for a further 2 minutes. Add the drained Arrocina beans and the chicken stock and simmer very gently, uncovered, for 1½ hours, stirring occasionally, until the beans are cooked and beautifully soft.
Heat a dessertspoon of olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the chorizo and morcilla de Burgos and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, then add to the stew.
Finally add the sliced pork belly and cooked Savoy cabbage, season with salt and pepper, and serve.
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