Verzada Asturiana

from"Clarita's Cocina"
 by Clarita del Palacio Valdes de Garcia

Ingredients:
  * 1 small ham hock (optional)
  * 2 chorizo sausages
  * Quarter pound  slab smoked bacon (optional) 
  * 2 morzillas(pork blood sausage, optional)
  * 2 to 4 short ribs, fat removed, or: 1.5 pounds beef stew meat and 2 beef marrow bones
  * Half medium onion
  * Half medium green bell pepper
  * 1 medium ripe tomato, or 2 dried tomatoes
  * 1 garlic clove, crushed
  * 1 bay leaf
  * 2 pounds greens, washed,stemmed and chopped, any combination desired (mustards, chard, collards)
  * 2 cans Great Northern or cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
  * 3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
  * Half teaspoon brown or raw sugar
  * Salt, if needed

  - In a 2 .5 to 3 quart soup pot, place the meats and cover with water. Bring to a boil and skim several times to remove the foam or espuma.

  - Lower the heat and add the bell pepper, onion, tomato, garlic and bay leaf. Cover and cook over moderate heat until the meat is tender, approximately 1 hour.

  - Remove the meats to a platter. Discard the bones from the ribs and take the ham from the ham hock. Dice the meat. Remove the vegetables from the stock and discard.

  - Add the greens, beans, potatoes, sugar and meat to the stock. Bring to a boil, lower heat and cook partially uncovered for 15 minutes.

  - Add salt to taste. Cover and cook one half hour longer on low heat. Add the thinly sliced chorizo and morzilla 10 minutes before turning off the heat.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.