Birnen, Bohnen und Speck - String beans, pears and cured belly pork

This is an old North German speciality at the start of Autumn.
It consists of small hard pears cooked together beans and smoked pork belly.

You require 4 pieces of cured belly pork about 1 cm thick
400 – 500g of small hard pears (kochbirnen)
500g of beans
A bunch of savory (called Bohnenkraut in German, meaning bean herb)
½ a large onion
Pepper & Salt
Bunch of parsley (chopped)

Dice onion and boil together with the belly pork, turn the heat down low and simmer for 20 mins. Remove the pieces of pork belly and set to one side, cover and keep warm.

Clean, top and tail the beans add to the liquor, add the savory, S&P, boil and lower temperature to a medium heat for about 15 mins until cooked. Now lay the pears (Don’t peal) on top of the beans and cook until just soft (about 10 mins) Place the pears, beans and speck on a warm plate sprinkle with the chopped parsley, cover and keep warm.

Bring the cooking liquor to the boil and reduce.

Pour over the beans, pears and belly pork.

Serve with boiled potatoes.

This is very big in the area of Hamburgh and Northwards up to the Danish border at this time of the year.

Cheers