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Got another care package from Down Under, courtesy Mark Herron. The
following series of recipes are from the Raw Materials column by Meryl
Constance who writes for the Sydney Morning Herald. The three
columns this time covered basil, veal and strawberries (remember
them? ;-}). Pay attention now++there's some good-looking stuff here...

This recipe comes from Antioquia in Colombia but variations on the
theme are made all over South and Central America. In Colombia, it
is served with rice and a number of side dishes, including crisp pork
crackling, bananas, avocados and white corncakes. Stretched in this
way, the quantities given here would easily serve eight.

Into a large pot 2 cups of red kidney beans (not pre-soaked). Add 5
cups of a mixture made from the liquid drained from a large tin of
peeled tomatoes (the tomatoes themselves are used later) and your
choice of stock.

Do not add salt it is said to prevent the beans softening properly.
Cover the pot and put the beans to cook over a low heat. South
American practice is to add a tablespoon of oil when the beans begin
to wrinkle but Raw Materials omits this with no ill-effects. Continue
cooking until tender++about 2 to 3 hours.

Meanwhile, finely chop 2 large onions and 4 cloves of garlic and fry
gently in a little oil. Add 500 g minced meat (usually beef but take
your choice) and fry very slowly until brown. Add the tinned
tomatoes, a chopped green capsicum, 2 or 3 bay leaves, 2 teaspoons
cumin, half a bunch of basil (chopped), 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper,
pepper and salt.

Tip the contents of the frying pan into the beans and simmer slowly
till well blended.

Serves 4 to 6.

Posted by Stephen Ceideberg; November 17 1992.

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