Cookin' Up A Stew

One of my (many) unfinished projects is a recipe booklet featuring Marcial's great sausage printed up for him to hand out free with each purchase. Since Marcial uses no additives in his Sperone products, no MSG, nitrites or nitrates, only his unique package of spices, his sausage lends itself to a multitude of different healthy recipes that accent the rich pork flavors of the meat or lend a subtle Italian flavor to other ingredients. In particular, we suspect that Ticos are somewhat unfamiliar with the many delicious ways to use Italian sausage. For the most part, what you see in Costa Rica by way of sausages are the chunky links of spiced pork or beef, usually called chorizo or salchichon, split open and fried as a side dish alongside a breakfast of Gallo Pinto, the ubiquitous national dish of rice and beans, and fried or scrambled eggs. Papas con Chorizo (potatoes with sausage) or perhaps empanadas, small filled pastry turnovers using chorizo can be found but by and large, Italian sausage is not much used in Costa Rican cooking.

  

2nd Place Team Sperone in 2012

When we first met Marcial a couple of years ago and tasted his scrumptious sausage, I immediately thought it might be helpful to him in marketing his product to give out a little recipe brochure with each kilo of the tasty meat. We happily helped him develop a chili recipe using Italian sausage that won 2nd Place at the 2012 Atenas Chili Cook-off and 5th Place at this year's event, giving Team Sperone satisfying recognition in a world full of beef chilis. But of course, time passes and as regular readers know, Layne and I do manage to keep a full dance card around here, so the notation "recipe booklet for sausages" remains on my "To do" List, still lacking the critical checkmark indicating "completed."

Seidy, Marcial and Yours Truly in 2013

With nothing in particular to write about today, and being long over-due for a blog post, I thought I would offer here a dish I recently made which uses the Sperone sausages and chayote, one of many inexpensive local vegetables, a native Central American squash sometimes known as vegetable pear. The chayote has a crisp light texture that picks up flavors readily so it's a great companion to the distinct Italian taste of Sperone sausage. So without further ado, I offer you Chayote and Chorizo Stew! Bon appetit!

Chayote and Chorizo Stew

Ingredients:

         3 Sperone Spicy Italian Sausage links, casings removed

         1-2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

         1 onion, chopped

         1 chili dulce (or red bell pepper), chopped

         3-4 cloves garlic, minced

         1 lrg. or 2 med. chayote squash, seeded and chopped into ½ in. cubes

         1 -2 jalapeño peppers, finely diced (taste for hotness and use as much as you like)

         1 - 15-oz. can diced tomatoes or better yet, 2 -3 medium organic tomatoes, diced, including juices (use fresh tomatoes, if possible, to avoid BPA in the white-lined cans of tomatoes)

         1 - 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed well and drained

         1 cup frozen corn or 1 small can of whole kernel corn

         ½ tsp ground thyme

         1 tsp (or more) chili powder

         ½ tsp cumin

         salt and pepper to taste

Place a large saucepan over medium-high heat; cook the sausage in the skillet until browned, breaking it up as you saute; remove from pan and set aside. Add the olive oil. onion, chili dulce, jalapeños and garlic to the skillet; cook and stir until the onions are translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Return the sausage to the pan along with the chayote squash; cook and stir until the squash begins to soften, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, black beans, corn, thyme, cumin and chili powder; season with salt and pepper. Cook until it has all become well acquainted, about 30 minutes more. 

(Variation: Try using basil and oregano in place of chili powder and cumin. For less spicy dish, use Sperone regular Italian in place of the spicy Italian sausage.)

Adapted from Allrecipes.com

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Costa Rica Dance Card: FULL!

The old saying "Time flies when you're having fun" certainly seems to fit our lives here in Costa Rica. In the week and a half since we returned, we have 1) joined a gym and gone now four times, 2) had friends over to watch the presidential debates last week, 3) seen the chiropractor twice, plus the acupuncturist once for Layne and the physical therapist once for me, 4) traveled to Alajuela by bus to shop at PriceSmart and to the clinic there for x-rays of my feet (cost: $22), 5) shopped at the feria last Friday and picked up organic produce on Saturday, 6) had breakfast with Marc at Kay's Gringo Postre, 7) had Bonnie over to watch some of the baseball playoffs yesterday, and (8) joined the Santa Eulalia gang for a hike Sunday morning and a potluck by Bonnie and Stephen's pool that afternoon. I could go on but you get the point. Our dance card always seems to be full here in Costa Rica!

The new gym in town is called VGym and bills itself as "mas que un gimnasio," or "more than a gym." The "more" is the petite owner whose name is Vigie (not sure of the spelling but it is pronounced V-G). She is trained in physical therapy, used to work at LA Fitness in Los Angeles, California, and obviously relishes her role as personal trainer to everyone who walks in the door. In excellent English, she asked us questions and took down notes on all Layne's and my little aches and pains, old injuries or current problems, such as the chronic tendonitis in my shoulder and Layne's occasional sciatica issues, then designed a workout program tailored to our individual needs and our exercise goals. (As usual, Layne is focused on improving his golf swing.)

Like a mother hen, Vigie watches over us and the other patrons as we do our workouts, being sure we maintain good form and avoid any risk of injury. Unlike the other two gyms in town where some of our friends go and where I've taken a salsa aerobic class or two, VGym isn't rocking with loud music or stuffed wall to wall with massive exercise equipment. But the apparatus she has is more than adequate for her current clientele: a treadmill, free weights, yoga mats, a number of stationary bikes, large and small rubber balls and a variety of weight-lifting machines. With a senior rate we each pay only 12,000 colones (about $24) per month and Vigie even offers a weekly rate for out-of-towners wanting to stay in shape, so if your vacation plans bring you to Atenas, be sure to check out VGym, located across from the gas station.

The Sunday hike was a lovely if damp excursion, with an overcast sky and occasional mistiness cloaking us as we followed Marcial down a side street, through sugarcane and coffee fields, negotiating over rocks to cross a small stream and finally back up through another local neighborhood to the main road. It was especially joyous for Marcial and Seidy as Marcial's oldest son Gabriel and his wife and two adorable little girls were along with us, having just arrived the previous week from Germany where they live. They have rented a small house here in Santa Eulalia and will be staying for a few months so we will enjoy their company on many future outings, no doubt.

Marcial leads the way

The Santa Eulalia "gang"

Marcial shows the ripening coffee beans

 After everyone had returned home and cleaned up, we reconvened at Bonnie and Stephen's charming rancho by the pool. They have lucked upon such a wonderful and inexpensive rental, spotted by Stephen through Craigslist while still in San Francisco. It offers the small 2-bedroom, Tico-style house where they live, but is overlooked by their landlord Dave's beautiful home up the somewhat treacherous stairs near the pool. Since Dave is gone so much of the time, Bonnie and Stephen also have access to the larger home and well-equipped kitchen when needed. 

Chris and Sue 

Stephen, Layne chat with Bonnie as Felipe takes in the view

Stephen enjoys the gang

So it was there that I warmed up my Creamy Chorizo and Chicken Soup (made, of course, using Marcial's excellent spicy Italian sausage) and Chris re-heated his stuffed baked potatoes. Along with Chris' tasty shrimp dip, Stephen's excellent beans slow-cooked with pork ribs and abundant fruit from Seidy, we had quite a feast. The children played in and around the pool while the grown-ups laughed and talked and enjoyed the splendid view from the rancho. Even the sun came out to warm the day and make us all realize just how fortunate we are to share this Pura Vida.