Cuban Chorizo Stew

This is one of those recipes that we have been wanting to try for a very long time. A very long time. It's one that comes up over and over again that gets put on the backburner each week. But not this week! We needed to eat cheap and this was exactly it. I think we had everything except the chorizo on hand for this dish. And what made it even better was the fact that it turned out so wonderfully. This dish taunted us in the fridge each day because it got better and better the longer it sat. Ohmygosh, so hungry just thinking about it.

Anyways, if you're strapped for cash and want something spicy (warning: it can be extremely spicy depending on your choice of chorizo) and filling, this is probably a good dish for you. Plus, it's even better when the temperatures cooled off a bit (not that that lasted yet here in Florida!)

Cooking Notes: The only thing Will changed was that he used dried cilantro instead of fresh because we only have a few cilantro leaves growing on our plant!

Cuban Chorizo Stew (adapted from Budget Bytes; serves 8)
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb. carrots
1 medium onion
2 cloves garlic
2 chipotle peppers w/adobo sauce
1/2 lb. (2 links) chorizo
4 cups (2 cans) black beans
1 (14 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (13 oz.) can coconut milk
2 whole bay leaves
1/2 tbsp cumin
1/3 bunch cilantro
2 cups jasmine or basmati rice
3 cups water
Salt & pepper, to taste

Peel and slice the carrots, dice the onion, and mince the garlic. Add them all to the pot with 2 tbsp of olive oil and cook over medium heat. Take one to two chipotle peppers along with some of the sauce from the can, roughly chop and add to the pot. Continue to cook everything until the onions have softened and become transparent (about 5 minutes total). Remove the chorizo from its casing and add to the pot. As the chorizo cooks, break it up into small pieces with your spoon. Continue to cook until the chorizo has cooked through (about 5 minutes).

Once the chorizo is fully cooked, add the black beans, canned tomatoes, coconut milk, bay leaves and cumin. Stir everything together and let simmer over medium heat for approximately 30 minutes (the longer the better). Stir occasionally to prevent scorching on the bottom. While the stew is simmering, prepare the rice. After the stew has simmered for at least 30 minutes, the liquid should have reduced and taken on a nice dark brown color. Roughly chop about 1/3 bunch of cilantro and add to the stew. Taste the stew and adjust the salt to your liking. Serve over a large scoop of rice with a few cilantro leaves on top.

Recipe: Budget Bytes: Cuban Chorizo Stew