Chilean Fresh Bean Stew (Porotos granados) — Summer Corn and Squash Bean Stew

• 900 gfresh shelled cranberry beans (Chilean granados; frozen cranberry beans may be used)
• 1.4 lvegetable stock
• 1 leafbay leaf
• 3 tbspolive oil
• 1large yellow onion (finely diced)
• 3 clovegarlic (minced)
• 2ripe tomatoes (peeled, seeded, and chopped)
• 2 tspaji de color (Chilean sweet paprika)
• 0.5 tspground cumin
• 1 tspdried oregano
• 600 gzapallo camote squash (peeled and cut into 2 cm cubes)
• 550 gchoclo corn kernels (fresh firm corn kernels preferred)
• 1 bunchChilean basil (about 30 g leaves and tender stems)
• 12 gfine sea salt
• 0.5 tspblack pepper (freshly ground)
• 0.25 tspmerken (optional smoky Chilean chile for the table)

Instructions

1. 1

   Rinse the fresh granados beans under cold water and pick out any damaged beans. Put them in a large Dutch oven with the vegetable stock and bay leaf, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.

2. 2

   While the beans begin cooking, make the Chilean sofrito. Warm the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, add the onion, and cook for 8 minutes until soft and translucent but not browned.

3. 3

   Add the garlic, tomatoes, aji de color, cumin, and oregano to the skillet. Cook for 6 minutes, stirring often, until the tomatoes collapse and the mixture smells sweet, savory, and lightly toasted.

4. 4

   Transfer the sofrito into the pot with the beans and stir well. Add the zapallo camote squash, cover the pot loosely, and simmer for 18 minutes until the beans are nearly tender and the squash is beginning to soften.

5. 5

   Blend 400 g of the choclo corn kernels with the basil and 240 ml of hot cooking liquid from the pot until coarse and creamy, not perfectly smooth. Keep the remaining 150 g corn kernels whole so the finished porotos granados has both creamy body and sweet kernels.

6. 6

   Stir the corn-basil puree, reserved whole corn, salt, and black pepper into the pot. Simmer uncovered for 12 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes because the corn thickener can catch on the bottom of the pan.

7. 7

   Remove the bay leaf and let the stew rest off the heat for 10 minutes so the starches settle and the flavor rounds out. Serve hot in deep bowls, with 0.25 tsp merken divided over the portions if you want a subtle smoky accent.