Jota 🍲 Primorska Sauerkraut–Bean 🇸🇮 (Slovenian Jota)

Description

Hearty Alpine–Adriatic stew of tangy sauerkraut, creamy beans, and soft potatoes—smoky, garlicky, rib-sticking comfort. 🥔🌿
Hook: Pantry stew in one pot—bright, thick, and ready in about an hour. ⚡

Ingredients

• 🫒 Olive oil (or pork fat): 30 ml (2 tbsp / 1 fl oz)
• 🧅 Onion, fine dice: 200 g (1⅓ cups / 7 oz)
• 🧄 Garlic, minced: 8 g (2 cloves / 0.3 oz)
• 🥓 Smoked pancetta or bacon, small cubes (optional): 120 g (¾ cup / 4.2 oz)
• 🫘 Cooked beans (borlotti/cannellini), drained: 400 g (2½ cups / 14 oz)
• 🥔 Potatoes, 2 cm chunks: 600 g (4 cups / 1.3 lb)
• 🥬 Sauerkraut, rinsed and squeezed: 700 g (4½ cups / 24.7 oz)
• 💧 Stock or water: 1–1.2 l (4–5 cups)
• 🌿 Bay leaves: 2
• 🌰 Caraway seeds (classic): 1 g (½ tsp / 0.04 oz)
• 🌶️ Sweet paprika (optional): 2 g (1 tsp / 0.04 oz)
• 🧂 Salt: to taste (≈10 g / 1¾ tsp)
• ⚫ Black pepper: 1 g (½ tsp / 0.04 oz)
• 🍎 Apple cider vinegar (adjust sourness): 5–10 ml (1–2 tsp / 0.17–0.34 fl oz)
• Optional thickener
• 🧈 Butter or oil: 15 g (1 tbsp / 0.5 oz)
• 🌾 Flour: 8 g (1 tbsp / 0.28 oz)

Preparation

1. 1️⃣ Base: Warm oil; sauté 🧅 onion with a pinch of salt 6–8 min until sweet. Add 🧄 garlic 30 sec. Stir in 🥓 pancetta (if using) 3–4 min.
2. 2️⃣ Build: Add 🥔 potatoes, 🥬 sauerkraut, 🫘 beans, 🌿 bay, 🌰 caraway, and 🌶️ paprika. Pour in 💧 stock/water to cover by ~2 cm.
3. 3️⃣ Simmer: Cook gently 30–35 min until potatoes are tender and broth slightly thick. Lightly mash a few potatoes/beans with a spoon to enrich.
4. 4️⃣ Optional roux: In a small pan, cook 🧈 butter/oil with 🌾 flour 1–2 min; stir into the pot and simmer 3 min more for a velvety body.
5. 5️⃣ Finish: Season with 🧂 salt/⚫ pepper. Balance with 🍎 vinegar to taste. Rest 5 min and serve hot with bread.

Total Time

🕒 Prep: 15 min
🔥 Cook: 45 min
⏳ Total: 1 h

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