Last night's supper was a perfect January dish. It's full of "good for you" ingredients such as fresh vegetables and quinoa and the fresh zing of chilli will wake up your tastebuds following a period of rich food. It's also sufficiently warming and hearty to provide that comforting quality which is oh so important in winter cooking.
I've also seen a lot about Veganuary lately and whilst I am not going to commit to going vegan for the whole month, I always try and have a few days a week without animal products anyway so provided there are some good examples, I'll try and share some more vegan recipes alongside the usual vegetarian fare.
I created this dish out of various bottom of the fridge ingredients and recommend you do the same with whatever root veg you have languishing behind the half eaten jars of chutney.
South American Inspired Black Bean and Quinoa Stew
I've also seen a lot about Veganuary lately and whilst I am not going to commit to going vegan for the whole month, I always try and have a few days a week without animal products anyway so provided there are some good examples, I'll try and share some more vegan recipes alongside the usual vegetarian fare.
I created this dish out of various bottom of the fridge ingredients and recommend you do the same with whatever root veg you have languishing behind the half eaten jars of chutney.
South American Inspired Black Bean and Quinoa Stew
1 tbsp rapeseed or another cooking oil
2 leeks - sliced
2 leeks - sliced
2 carrots - diced
1/4 swede - diced
1 tsp fennel fronds (not essential, you could use 1/2 tsp seeds or just go without) - finely chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 red chilli (no seeds)
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 large or two small bay leaves
1 1/2 tbsp tomato puree
1 tin whole button mushrooms
1 tin black beans
Handful of dried quinoa
10g dried porcini mushrooms
350ml boiling water
Squeeze of lime juice
Handful each of flat leaf parsley and coriander leaves - roughly chopped
1. First things first, get the porcini soaking in the water. Now, you can heat the oil over a moderate flame, add in the leeks and a pinch of salt to stop them browning too soon. Reduce down the leeks over five minutes or so, keep them moving.
2. Add in the fennel fronds (if you don't like aniseedy flavours, worry not because this is in the background and won't have you spitting out your dinner), garlic and chilli. Keep it moving and cooking for another couple of minutes.
3. Now for the root veg, I've gone with carrots and swede because that's what I had in. Squash or sweet potato would also work wonderfully well. Stir through and add in the spices and tomato puree. Cook off for another 2-3 minutes to get rid of that raw puree flavour. Now is also the time for the mushrooms - you can of course use fresh mushrooms but the whole button ones in the tin do work well here as they have a salty, plumpness that is great in a stew.
4. Add in the beans and quinoa and stir so that they are coated with the spices and puree. Follow with the porcini mushrooms and the water they've been steeping in.
5. Cover and leave to simmer away for 30 minutes. The quinoa will thicken the stew and give it some substance.
6. Stir through a handful each of flat leaf parsley and coriander leaves and a squeeze of lime juice.
Serving Suggestions
This is a complete meal without any additions. The Quinoa and the beans are full of protein but are also really quite filling. That said, a piece of bread to mop up the juices would not go amiss. We shared an onion platzel roll from my favourite bakery on Brick Lane.
Squeeze of lime juice
Handful each of flat leaf parsley and coriander leaves - roughly chopped
1. First things first, get the porcini soaking in the water. Now, you can heat the oil over a moderate flame, add in the leeks and a pinch of salt to stop them browning too soon. Reduce down the leeks over five minutes or so, keep them moving.
2. Add in the fennel fronds (if you don't like aniseedy flavours, worry not because this is in the background and won't have you spitting out your dinner), garlic and chilli. Keep it moving and cooking for another couple of minutes.
3. Now for the root veg, I've gone with carrots and swede because that's what I had in. Squash or sweet potato would also work wonderfully well. Stir through and add in the spices and tomato puree. Cook off for another 2-3 minutes to get rid of that raw puree flavour. Now is also the time for the mushrooms - you can of course use fresh mushrooms but the whole button ones in the tin do work well here as they have a salty, plumpness that is great in a stew.
4. Add in the beans and quinoa and stir so that they are coated with the spices and puree. Follow with the porcini mushrooms and the water they've been steeping in.
5. Cover and leave to simmer away for 30 minutes. The quinoa will thicken the stew and give it some substance.
6. Stir through a handful each of flat leaf parsley and coriander leaves and a squeeze of lime juice.
Serving Suggestions
This is a complete meal without any additions. The Quinoa and the beans are full of protein but are also really quite filling. That said, a piece of bread to mop up the juices would not go amiss. We shared an onion platzel roll from my favourite bakery on Brick Lane.
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