Fresh spinach, waxy potatoes, butter beans, chillies, lemon, herbs and spices.
A nutritious and flavourful stew for any season! The spinach and potato in this dish add substance and the chili and lemon give it heat and zest.
This stew is so much more than the sum of its parts. It is accessible and convenient – most of the ingredients are items that you will already have in the pantry. Combined together, the ingredients create a homely and satisfying treat. This stew is low on investment but high impact on taste.
Balance and satisfaction
The combination of fat from the oil, acid from the lemon, heat from the chillies and a little salt balance this meal and give it a layered and complex flavour profile. At the same time, it is very quick to prepare.
This dish will satisfy on its own or as a part of a spread. It is vegan and vegetarian friendly. If you wanted to add some meat to this recipe you could just brown your choice of meat with the onions as described in step 2.
Either way, compliment the stew with some fresh crusty bread and you’re ready to eat!
Ingredients:
Spices:
- 1 ¼ tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 ½ tsp caster sugar
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- 80g Coriander
- 20g Coriander (roughly chopped)
- 30g Parsley
- Salt (to taste)
Other Ingredients:
- 600g baby spinach
- 120ml olive oil
- 1 onion (finely chopped)
- 2 green chillies
- 5 garlic cloves
- 2 lemons
- 1 litre of vegetable/chicken stock
- 500g potatoes
- 700g butter beans
Method:
Step One
Finely chop the spinach and herbs (making sure to save 20g of coriander for the garnish) or blitz in a food processor to save time.
Step Two
Use a thick pan or pot on medium to heat 100ml of oil. Add the onion and fry for 8 minutes or until the onions are golden brown. Add the chillies and spices and cook for a further 5 minutes.
Step Three
Add in the spinach and herb mixture to the pot and put it on high heat. Add in the remaining oil and cook for 10 minutes. Stir occasionally and If the mixture begins to stick to the pot then turn the heat down.
Step Four
Once the spinach is a dark green colour, add in the stock and lemon juice. Make sure to stir to dislodge any of the mixture which has stuck to the pan. Bring the stew to a simmer and return to a medium heat. Add in potatoes and cook for about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
Step Five
Finally add the butter beans and cook for a further 3-5 minutes or until the beans are warmed through. Turn off the heat and stir in 20g of roughly chopped coriander. To finish, drizzle with olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon.
