Spiced Bean Stew Recipes

SPICY WHITE BEAN STEW WITH BROCCOLI RABE

Steps:

• Tear broccoli rabe or kale leaves into bite-size pieces and set aside. Chop the stems into about 1/4-inch pieces; set aside.
• Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic and onion, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and sizzled at the edges, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Add harissa (or tomato paste and a pinch of red-pepper flakes), and stir to coat in the oil. Cook until the harissa is a nice brick red color, the sugars start to caramelize and the oil turns a nice vibrant fiery orange color, about 2 minutes.
• Add beans, and season with salt and pepper. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, crush a few beans to release their creamy interior.
• Add the broth and reserved stems, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook until you've reached your desired consistency (less time for a brothier soup, more time for a thicker stew), 15 to 20 minutes.
• Add broccoli rabe or kale leaves and preserved lemon or lemon juice, and stir to wilt the greens. Season with salt, pepper and more red-pepper flakes if you want it spicier.
• Serve with feta and parsley, and with eggs, if you like.

SPICY RED REAN STEW RECIPE

Steps:

• Plan on first soaking the beans in 4 cups of water overnight.
• Most directions say to drain and rinse them afterwards. I keep them covered with a kitchen towel and cook them with their soaking water and don't experience digestive upsets. But whatever you choose to do, soak 'em.
• Put the beans in a large pot with water amounting to 6 cups. Add the bay leaf, 1/2 onion, garlic and olive oil. Cover and bake at 300° F (150° C). If cooking on the stovetop, bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Place a heat-absorbent pad under the pot and cover. Either way, cook until the beans are tender - between 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• In a frying pan, heat the olive oil. Add the chopped onions and fry gently until translucent. Add the garlic and tomatoes. Cook over medium heat until the tomatoes have softened. Add all the spices and cook, stirring, for a few minutes, for flavors to blend.
• Remove a ladle-full of beans from the pot with some of their liquid, and add to the frying pan. Mash the beans into the vegetables and cook together for 3 or 4 minutes, stirring a few times. Add more cooking liquid if the mass becomes dry.
• Return the flavored beans to the pot. Add salt to taste. Cover and bake (or cook) another hour.
• Check once in a while to make sure the beans aren't drying out, and add a little water if needed. If well covered and kept from drying out, you can keep the beans cooking for much longer. Personally, I like to cook them 3 or 4 hours after they're seasoned and ready; they just seem to get better and better.
• Serve piping hot.

HEARTY BEAN STEW

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, saute onions in oil until tender; add the garlic, cook 1 minute longer. Add the tomatoes, carrots, celery, broth and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes. , Stir in the beans, tomato paste, chili powder and pepper. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

SPICY BEEF STEW WITH BEANS & PEPPERS

Steps:

• Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a large saucepan with a lid. Season meat, then cook about one-third over a high heat for 10 mins until browned. Tip onto a plate and repeat with 2 tbsp of oil and rest of the meat.
• Add a splash of water and scrape pan to remove bits. Add ½ tbsp oil. Turn heat down, fry onion and garlic until softened. Return meat to the pan, add flour and stir for 1 min. Add treacle, cumin, tomatoes and stock. Bring to boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hr 45 mins. Stir occasionally and check that the meat is covered with liquid.
• Add peppers and beans, and cook for a further 15 mins. The stew can now be cooled and kept in the fridge for 2 days, or frozen for 1 month. Serve in bowls, with sour cream, coriander and cornbread.

SPICY CHICKEN & BEAN STEW

Steps:

• Pull the skin off the chicken and discard. Heat the oil in a large casserole dish, brown the chicken all over, then remove with a slotted spoon. Tip in the onions, garlic and chillies, then fry for 5 mins until starting to soften and turn golden.
• Add the peppers, tomatoes, beans and hot stock. Put the chicken back on top, half-cover with a pan lid and cook for 50 mins, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
• Stir through the coriander and serve with soured cream and crusty bread.

SOUTHWESTERN SPICED CHICKEN & BLACK BEAN STEW

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add the bacon and cook until it renders much of its fat and crisps slightly, about 7 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels.
• Season the chicken well with salt and pepper. Add half of the thighs to the pan and brown them well on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Brown the remaining thighs and reserve with the rest.
• There should be 2 to 3 tablespoons fat left in the pan; if there's more, spoon out and discard the excess. Add the onion and bell pepper, season well with salt, and cook, stirring often, until the onion softens and caramelizes slightly, about 7 minutes. Raise the heat to high, add the chili powder and cumin, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
• Add the beer and cook until it's almost completely reduced, about 3 minutes. Add the beans, the chipotle and the chicken broth. When the mixture comes to a boil, adjust the heat to maintain a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
• Transfer 2 cups of the beans and broth (but not the chipotle) to a blender, purée, and then mix it back into the rest of the broth.
• Return the thighs to the pot, cover with the lid slightly ajar, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. If the stew is too thick, thin it with more chicken broth.
• Discard the chipotle. Crumble the reserved bacon. Juice one half of the lime; cut the other half into wedges. Stir the bacon, lime juice, and 2 tablespoons of the cilantro into the stew and season well with salt and pepper.
• Serve immediately. Sprinkle each serving with the remaining cilantro and a small dollop of sour cream. Serve with the lime wedges and fried tortilla strips, if you like.

SPICED BEAN STEW

Steps:

• Soften the onions and garlic in a large pan with the olive oil.
• Add the powdered spices and stir well for a few minutes.
• Add in the tomatoes and then the beans.
• Pour in a can of water and leave the mixture to simmer for at least half an our until stewed.
• Serve the stew garnished with a generous amount of parsley and accompanied by brown rice.