Bean Stew.
This bean stew is a delight to make and to eat, and it’s so cheap! Make this when you’ve got a bit of time on your hands, as it really benefits from min. 1 hour simmering away. You can shorten the cooking time if you’re in a rush, but it’s not quite the same.
This foundation recipe is completely vegan and lends itself well to adaptations - we make a variation of it at least once/week! Throw in whatever veg you need to use up. Use dried herbs instead of the bouquet-garni, or add in some extra spices - cumin works well. Add some chicken thighs and use chicken stock instead of veg. A little pancetta in with the soffritto is really tasty too.
Ingredients.
1 onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 celery stick, finely diced
2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped/minced
Olive oil, a good glug to cover the base of the pan
1 tbsp paprika
Bouquet-garni (bundle of herbs), ideally parsley, thyme, bay & rosemary
Pinch of saffron strands
4 tins of beans, a mix of varieties which includes butter beans works best
500ml vegetable stock
2 large handfuls of kale, washed and tough stalks removed
Salt & pepper, to taste
Equipment.
One large heavy-base saucepan with a lid, that’s suitable for the hob
Sharp knife & chopping board
Sieve/colander, for washing the beans
Method.
Make the soffritto: sweat the onion, carrot & celery in olive oil over a low-medium heat (stirring constantly) for a minimum of 10 minutes, adding the garlic for the last few minutes
The longer you cook these down for the richer the flavour you get, so take your time over this step if you can. However, be careful not to burnt the vegetables. They should be translucent and slightly darker in colour, but not ‘browned’ or ‘fried’.
Add the paprika, saffron, bouquet-garni, salt, beans & stock
Bing to a simmer and cook for an hour (30 mins with the lid off to reduce the liquid, then 30 mins with the lid on)
Check seasoning and add salt & pepper if needed
Stir in the kale and cook for a further 5 mins
If it needs to reduce further, continue cooking with the lid off for a few more mins - it should be rich and creamy, but the beans should be keeping their shape.
Serve, either on it’s own or with some crusty bread. It keeps well in the fridge or freezer, and tastes just as great (if not better) the next day!
