Lunches
Botifarra amb Mongetes (Sausage with White Beans) (Botifarra amb Mongetes)
Ingredients
- - Botifarra sausage (or other fresh pork sausage) — 4 links (4 links)
- - Dried white beans, soaked overnight — 250g (1 1/4 cups)
- - Onion, chopped — 100g (1 small)
- - Garlic, whole cloves — 10g (2 cloves)
- - Bay leaf — 1 (1)
- - Olive oil — 30ml (2 tbsp)
- - Water — 900ml (3 3/4 cups)
- - Salt — 6g (1 tsp)
Method
- Drain the soaked beans and place in a pot with onion, garlic, bay leaf and water.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer covered for 45-50 minutes until the beans are tender.
- Season with salt in the final 10 minutes of cooking.
- Meanwhile, grill the botifarra sausages over medium heat, turning occasionally, for 12-15 minutes until cooked through and nicely browned.
- Drain the beans lightly, dress with a drizzle of olive oil, and serve alongside the grilled sausage.
Introduction: Grilled botifarra sausage served alongside creamy white beans simmered with garlic and bay leaf, a simple Pyrenean lunch pairing.
Cultural Background: This pairing of grilled sausage and beans is a shared favourite across the Catalan-speaking Pyrenees, valued as a satisfying, straightforward midday meal.
Tips: Salt the beans only near the end of cooking, as early salting can toughen their skins. Let the sausages rest for a couple of minutes after grilling before serving.
Variations: Add a small piece of ham hock to the beans while simmering for extra depth. Finish the beans with a little chopped parsley.
Vegetarian/Vegan: For a vegetarian version, omit the sausage and serve the beans as a simple main with extra olive oil and bread.
Serving Suggestions: Serve hot with crusty bread and a simple green salad.
Storage: Refrigerate beans and sausage separately for up to 3 days.
Reheating: Reheat the beans on the stovetop; reheat sausage in a pan to maintain its texture.
Nutrition: 420 kcal | Protein 22g | Carbs 34g | Fat 22g
FAQs:
Q: Can I use canned beans? A: Yes — use 2-3 cans, drained, simmered with the aromatics for about 20 minutes to absorb the flavour. Q: What’s a good substitute for botifarra? A: Any good fresh pork sausage, such as a mild Italian sausage, works as a substitute.
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