Caribbean Red Bean Chili With Pork

threeovens's Note:

This is traditionally a vegetarian dish, but I needed to use up some leftover pork shoulder. You can use any cut of pork you wish, of course. I like to start this dish off with my favorite sofrito (Sofrito (Daisy Martinez)), but if you don't want to use that just start with a finely chopped onion. We like to puree the tomatoes in the food processor, but this is not necessary or traditional. I drain the liquid and puree the solids, then recombine. I like the sweet onion flavor for this recipe.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 15 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 2 tablespoons achiote oil (Achiote Oil) or 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (Achiote Oil)
• 1/2 cup sofrito sauce (Sofrito (Daisy Martinez)) or 1 onion, finely chopped (Sofrito (Daisy Martinez))
• 1 (14 ounce) can diced tomatoes (leave whole or puree in food processor)
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 1/4 cups dry white wine or 1 1/4 cups beer
• 1 1/4 cups chicken broth or 1 1/4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup red lentil
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 hot chili peppers or 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or 1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/4 tsp ground ginger and 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce (optional)
• 15 1/2 ounces canned red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 teaspoons sugar (or 1 packet Splenda)
• salt
• 1/2 lb cooked pork, cubed
• cooked rice, for serving (with corn)

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan, over medium heat; add sofrito (or onion) and cook until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes and garlic and cook for 10 minutes; stir in white wine (or beer), and broth.
3. Stir in the lentils, thyme, cumin, soy sauce, chili, spices and oyster sauce, if using.
4. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until lentils are tender and flavors develop, about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally; if lentils dry out, add water.
5. Stir in kidney beans and sugar (or Splenda) and cook for 10 minutes more.
6. Season with salt, if desired, stir in pork to heat through.
7. Serve over rice and corn.