Black Bean Veggie Stew

I was going to make a black bean soup the other night but i wanted to jazz it up a bit and give it a bit more, hmm, well just a bit more. I was planning to make a bunch of soups this weekend and i had the ingredients for my Posole and my Chinese beef soup and I though why not add parts of both of them to my black bean soup, thus the recipe that follows.

Black Bean Veggie Stew

Ingredients

1 13oz can of black beans
1 cup of long grain rice
2 cups of Bok Choy, chopped
2 cups of chopped tomatoes- fresh not canned
1 cup sliced radishes
1 large onion, diced
1 large red pepper diced
2 stalks of celery diced
1 poblano pepper, diced
6 cloves of garlic minced
6 table spoons of Olive Oil
2 table spoons of Chinese Black Vinegar
2 table spoons of Soy Sauce
1 Table spoon of Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons of ground Turmeric
1 teaspoon of ground Cumin
1 teaspoon ground yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon saffron
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

In a large deep sauce pan over medium high heat place 4 tablespoons of the olive oil, onions, red pepper and celery and saute until soft. Next add the garlic and poblano pepper and saute for about 1 minute. Now add the entire can of black beans liquid and all plus an additional can of water. stir to combine. Once it begins to boil, reduce heat to a rolling simmer and add the black vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, 1 teaspoon of turmeric, cumin and mustard. Wait to add the salt and pepper until later.

Now start the rice: In another sauce pan add 2 cups of water, saffron and the balance of the olive oil and turmeric; bring to a boil. Now add rice, reduce heat and cover and simmer until rice is tender about 20 to 30 minutes. Once done fluff, cut the heat and keep cover until ready to use.

30 minutes into the simmering of the stew taste to see if it needs salt and pepper and add as needed. Simmer for an additional 15 minutes.

To plate: Place a mound of rice in the center to a soup plate. Next place the bok choy, radish and tomatoes around the rice. Spoon bean stew over the rice, about 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup. You can also top if off with some grated cheese. Serve

Enjoy Cooking

Chicken Stew

I came up with this last year at the cabin from various items i had on hand, and its a one pot dish.

Chicken stew

Ingredients

8 bone in chicken thighs, skin removed
1 32oz box of low salt chicken stock
1 cup white wine
1 cup vermouth
6 plum tomatoes, diced
1 onion diced
3 stalks of celery diced
2 carrots diced
4 cloves of garlic minced
2 table spoon of tomato paste, use the one from the tube its easier
1 19oz can chickpeas
1 19oz can white kidney beans
6 springs of fresh thyme
6 sprigs of fresh oregano, tie both set of sprigs together
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1 table spoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups of dried pasta, I like cellentani
salt and pepper to taste

Directions
In a large soup pot over medium high heat add the oil, onions, celery and carrots and saute until tender about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from pot and place in a bowl with garlic. In the same pot sear the chicken thighs until golden on each side, you will need to do 4 at a time. If the second set sticks add a bit of olive oil to the pot. Remove chicken and set aside, return onion mixer to the pot along with the wine, vermouth, tomato paste, beans, chickpeas and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, add sprigs of thyme and oregano and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Next add the dried pasta, once pasta is al dente, return chicken to the pot along with the tomatoes and simmer until chicken is done. Remove the sprigs of thyme and oregano.

Spoon into bowls and top with grated cheese of choice and serve with a crusty bread.

This is also good with beef, just switch out the chicken stock for beef and use beef stew meat. I have thought about using lamb but have not done it yet.

Enjoy Cooking

Beet and Bean Stew

It has been rainy and cold here and i wanted a hearty and filling stew that only takes a bit over an hour to make.

Beet and Been Stew

Ingredients

2 32oz boxes of low salt veggie or beef stock, i use beef
3 cups of shredded red cabbage
1 1/2 cups of red beets, peeled and chopped
1 1/2 cups of golden beets, peeled and chopped
1 cup of fresh chopped dill, stems removed
3 stalks of celery diced
2 parsnips peeled and diced
1 large onion diced
3 gloves of garlic minced
1 19oz can of navy beans, drained
1 lemon zest and juiced
1/2 cup of diced tomatoes, seeds removed
1/2 cup of diced yellow peppers
1/2 sour cream
3 table spoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions
in a skillet over medium high heat place 1 table spoon of oil and the onion and peppers and saute until onions start to caramelize, add garlic stir and removed from heat.
In a large soup pot over medium high heat add the remaining oil with the parsnips, celery, cabbage and saute for about three minutes. Next add beets and stock to pot, bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for about an hour. Once the beets start to get tender add the balance of the ingredients with the exception of the sour cream. Also add the saute onions, pepper and garlic. Salt and pepper to taste and bring to a boil, remove from heat and serve with a dallup of sour cream the center of each down and top with a sprig of dill. Serve with a nice crusty bread

Enjoy Cooking

Black Bean Soup

More soups, it has been quite chilly here in the evenings which makes me want to make soups. This recipe is pretty simple, I had a version of this soup at a place in NYC and i went home and recreated it. Now you can do the long way, by buying the beans, soaking them, then simmering them to get them ready for the soup. Or you can just buy the cans of black beans and have this nice soup in a few minutes verse hours,

Black Bean Soup

Ingredients

about a cup of roast pork left over from another meal, cut into nice size chunks
or you can use about a cup of pancetta, diced
1 table spoon olive oil
1 red onion diced, on the small size
1 jalapeno diced
5 cloves or garlic
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
2 sprigs of fresh oregano, leaves removed from the stem
3 cans of black beans, 15oz size, or 16oz what ever you can find, drained
5 cups of water, less if you want a thicker soup
1/2 cup cilantro chopped and stems removed
Zest of one lime
salt and pepper to taste.

Directions
In a deep pot over medium high heat, brown the pork or pancetta. Once browned remove from pan. Now add the olive oil and the onions and reduce heat to medium. saute until soft, about 2 minutes. Next add the jalapeno, oregano and the garlic and stir for 1 minute. Now add all the spices and stir for an additional minute. Add beans to the pot, along with the water and simmer for about 20 minutes. Toss in cilantro.
Now ladle soup into a blender and blend until smooth. To serve, place the browned meat at the bottom of the bowls, spoon in soup and finish with some cilantro and lime zest.

Enjoy cooking

Red Beans and Rice

Keeping with the Louisiana theme here is my version of read beans and rice. It took awhile to get it down. It again uses the "holy trinity".

Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients

2 table spoons olive oil
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup of unbleached flour
1 yellow onion diced
2 red bell pepper diced - you can use green i just like red
4 stalks of celery diced
6 cloves of garlic minced
3 bay leaves, fresh
6 springs of fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, you can use more if like more of a kick
1 quart of water
1 quart plus one cup of chicken stock, low salt
1 pound of red kidney beans, soaked over night and rinsed
6 links of Andouille sausage, cut into 1/4 inch slices
Salt and pepper taste

For Rice
1 1/2 cups of long grain rice
1 teaspoon of salt
1 1/2 table spoons of butter
3 cups of water

Directions

In a large skillet over medium high heat place olive oil, onions, celery and peppers, cook until soft, about 6 minutes. Add garlic stir for a minute then remove from heat, place in a bowl and set aside.
In the same skillet brown the sausage, once done remove from heat and set aside.
In a 6 quart dutch oven over medium heat place butter, once butter is melted add flour and keep whisking until Roux is a brick colour, about 5 minutes or so. Again do not leave this or it could burn and you will need to start over. Once to the Roux is the desired colour, fold in the holy trinity. Once combined, whisk in the water and chicken stock until smooth. Now add the cayenne pepper, thyme and bay leaves (tie the thyme and bay leaves together with twine), and the red beans. Raise heat to high until boiling, keep whisking until the mixture comes to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours. Give a stir every 20 minutes or so. After the covered time cooking, raise heat to medium low, add sausage, uncover and cook for an addition 45 minutes or until the sauce has thicken and beans are tender. The thickness of the sauce depends on your taste, we prefer not to thick, more of a cross between an stew and a soup but i have had it where it is like a pudding. This additional uncover stage of the cooking process to to thicken the sauce and get the beans to their desired tenderness, so this could be shorter then 45 minutes or longer.
During the last 30 minutes or so start the rice. Bring water to a boil, add butter and salt stir until butter is melted. Add rice, reduce heat to low, cover and cook rice for about 20 minutes or until rice is tender but not mushy. Most rices have directions on the package, follow them but remember to include the butter.
Once beans and sauce are at the desire thickness and tenderness, remove thyme bundle and remove from the heat.
Spoon rice into bowl and cover with the red beans and serve

You can also make this with pork shoulder. I make a pulled pork with the shoulder reserve some of the pork to add to other dishes, like red beans and rice.

As for my pulled pork recipe, that is reserved for the cook book, sorry.

Enjoy cooking