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Westfälisches Blindhuhn
Westfälisches Blindhuhn: Westphalian bean, potato, apple and pear stew with smoked bacon
Blindhuhn, "blind hen", is a late-summer pot from the farms of Westphalia and the Münsterland, made when the garden and orchard give green beans, carrots, apples and pears all at once. It is called blind hen because, as farmers joked, even a blind hen finds a grain in it: the pot holds a bit of everything. White beans, vegetables and fruit cook together with smoked streaky bacon into a sweet-savoury one-pot supper. Leave out the bacon and add a spoon of smoked paprika for a vegetarian pot. Chef's tip: add the apples and pears only for the last 15 minutes so they stay in soft pieces instead of melting away.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
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Fresh ingredients (8)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Put the whole piece of 9 oz smoked streaky bacon, in one piece in a large pot with the 1 onion and 6 ¼ cups water. Bring to the boil, skim, and simmer gently for 30 minutes to flavour the broth.
30 minStep 2: Add the 1 ⅛ lb waxy potatoes, 3 carrots and 1 tsp dried savory or thyme and simmer 10 minutes.
10 minStep 3: Add the 14 oz green beans and 1 ⅛ lb cooked white beans and simmer 10 minutes more.
10 minStep 4: Lay the 2 tart apples and 2 firm pears on top, cover and simmer for 12–15 minutes until the beans are tender and the fruit is soft but still in wedges. Stirring hard now is the common mistake; it turns the pot into mush.
15 minStep 5: Lift out the bacon, cut it into slices and return it to the pot. Season gently with 1 tsp salt (the bacon is salty), ½ tsp black pepper, 1 tbsp cider vinegar and 1 tsp sugar so it tastes lightly sweet-sour.
5 minStep 6: Serve in deep bowls, scattered with 1 small bunch parsley.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 380 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 45 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 11 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does westfälisches Blindhuhn take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 70 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of waxy potatoes?
- Sweet potato, same weight (sweeter, cooks a little faster).
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