I love kabana, a long thin sausage made of pork and originating in Poland. It has a characteristic smokey flavour and can be soft or dry like the familiar cabanossi. You can use either in this recipe but I have chosen the soft variety. It takes 150 g of best grade pork to make 100 g of kabana. You also have a choice of ‘hot’ (very spicy) or ‘mild’ (less spicy). I have used the mild variety but it is still very tasty.

This recipe combines some double smoked ham with the kabana and the fleshy butter beans and cooks them in a thick, rich tomato sauce.

Even though kabana and cabanossi are often eaten alone or with cheese, it is exceptionally delicious cooked in tomato sauce with beans. The double smoked ham gives it an extra depth of flavour as well.

Included at the bottom of the recipe is my quick fried rice recipe which is a perfect accompaniment for the kabana, ham and beans in tomato sauce.

You could also top a thick slice of sourdough toast with the Kabana and beans for a delicious breakfast or serve it alongside scrambled eggs or omelette for that big breakfast.

Kabana, Ham and Beans in Tomato Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 can of butter beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 onion, chopped finely
• 2 medium or 1 large carrot. chopped
• 120 g ham, chopped
• 200 g Kabana, sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 knob of butter
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 200 ml tomato puree
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
• ½ teaspoon chicken seasoning
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method:

1. Heat the oil and butter in a heavy based pan.

2. When the butter stops foaming, add the onions and cook until translucent.

3. Add the carrots, ham and Kabana and continue cooking for about 5 minutes. Stir to prevent the mixture from catching

4. Add tomato paste and stirring it through and cook for 1 minute

5. Stir through the pureed tomatoes

6. Add the chicken stock and chicken seasoning

7. Add the bay leaves and sprinkle over the dried marjoram

8. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper

9. After bringing the mixture to the boil, reduce the heat to simmer and cook for 12 minutes

10. Then add the beans and simmer for a further 10 minutes

11. When the kabana, ham and beans has finished cooking, the liquid will be reduced and the sauce will be rich and thickened

12. Serve with rice and crusty sourdough bread

Quick Fried Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of medium grain rice
• 1 1/2 cups of hot chicken stock (or same amount of water with a tablespoon of stock powder, pinch of salt and finely ground black pepper)
• 1 Tblsp olive oil
• 1 knob of butter

Method:

1. In a heavy based pan, heat the oil and the knob of butter

2. When the butter foams, add the rice and stir for 5 minutes till the grains are coated with oil and are lightly toasted

3. Add the hot stock stirring the rice through it. Bring to the boil then lower the heat to low, cover the pan and cook for 20 minutes.

4. When finished check the rice. It should be tender and all the grains separate and the liquid absorbed

Serve with meats or fish or stews and it is so nice with the kabana, ham and beans.