Pinto Bean & Andouille Sausage Stew

1. Pick over beans to remove any pebbles or broken beans and rinse under cold water. Place in a bowl, cover with 3 inches of cold water and soak for at least 6 hours or overnight. (Alternatively, use our quick-soak method: see Tip.)

2. Heat oil in a large heavy casserole or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sausage and bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is almost crisp, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a small bowl and set aside in the refrigerator.

3. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring, over medium heat, until soft and lightly brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add bell peppers and chile pepper to taste; continue to cook, stirring, until the mixture is soft, about 3 minutes. Stir in paprika. Add tomatoes and cook until they release their juice, about 2 minutes.

4. Drain the beans. Stir the beans and 8 cups water into the pot; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 hour. Stir in the reserved sausage and bacon along with salt and pepper. Continue simmering, adding a little water if the beans are dry, until the beans are very soft and beginning to break down, about 30 minutes more. Stir in lime zest and juice.

Tips

Tip: Andouille sausage is a smoky, mildly spicy pork sausage commonly used in Cajun cooking. Look for it near other smoked sausages in large supermarkets or specialty food stores.

Ingredient Note: Smoked paprika is a spice made from grinding smoke-dried red peppers. It can be used in many types of savory dishes and is available in some large supermarkets with other spices and at tienda.com.

Tip: To soak beans using a “quick-soak” method: Place beans in a large saucepan with enough cold water to cover them by 2 inches. Bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour.