Caldo gallego | Macon Telegraph

Caldo gallego

1 1/2 cups dried Great Northern beans

2 smoked pork shanks or 1 meaty ham bone (or 2 to 3 cups ham pieces)

1/4 pound salt pork or bacon, diced

2 onions, diced

2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 to 2 bay leaves

4 turnips, peeled and cubed

2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 pound fresh collard or turnip greens or 2 10-ounce packages frozen greens

1 cup chopped cabbage (optional)

Makes 12 servings.

In a large stock pot or Dutch oven, combine beans and 8 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand overnight. Drain and rinse.

Combine beans, pork shanks and 8 cups fresh water in the same pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 30 to 45 minutes.

Fry salt pork and onion in a heavy skillet over medium heat until lightly browned. Drain off most of the fat (or not; it's a matter of taste).

Add fried mixture to bean pot along with garlic, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Simmer, uncovered, 30 minutes. Remove 2 cups beans from pot and mash well; return to pot. Remove shanks, cut meat into chunks and return it to pot (discard bone). Add turnips, potatoes, greens and cabbage. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.

Nutritional information per serving: 275 calories (43 percent from fat), 13.1 g fat (4.7 g saturated, 5.8 g monounsaturated), 33.3 mg cholesterol, 14.8 g protein, 25,2 g carbohydrates, 8.1 g fiber, 614.5 mg sodium.