Portuguese Linguiça and Fava Bean Stew

Linguiça is a meaty-flavored, brined and lightly-smoked Portuguese sausage made with pork butt, oregano, and paprika.  Reminiscent of feijoada or a small cassoulet, it is combined here with uncured, smoked bacon, garlic sausage, onions and fava beans and simmered with tomatoes, cumin, cinnamon and nutmeg..

Portuguese Linguiça and Fava Bean Stew

Serves 2

2 cups homemade chicken or vegetable stock
1 large link Portuguese linguiça, sliced
1/4 cup garlic sausage, diced
2 slices uncured, smoked bacon, diced
1/2 Spanish onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry fava beans, blanched and peeled (use fresh when in season)
1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 4″ stick of cinnamon
1 whole nutmeg seed, abraded
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 cup celery, diced
1 Roma tomato, diced
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 tablespoon chopped celery leaves
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Fry bacon until nearly crisp.  Add onions, linguiça, garlic sausage and cumin and sauté until very well browned.  Pour off grease and transfer meat to a strainer and allow to drain thoroughly.  De-glaze pan with a little stock, scraping up all the brown bits with the back of a wooden spoon.

Add cinnamon, garlic, nutmeg, celery and the rest of the stock, reduce heat and simmer until beans are nearly tender, about 45 minutes.

Remove cinnamon and nutmeg and add the meat, tomatoes and tomato paste, celery leaves and parsley and simmer 5 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper, then ladle into bowls.  Drizzle a little good olive oil over the top and serve hot.