INGREDIENTS:
one large onion, diced
two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
one red pepper, diced
one green pepper, diced
250g button mushrooms, thinly sliced
one large tin ( approx. 400g) chopped tomatoes
one large tin butter beans, drained
one large tin kidney beans, drained
one large tin baked beans in tomato sauce
one small tin sweetcorn, drained
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon tabasco sauce
2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
salt & freshly ground black pepper to taste
OPTIONAL: 6 pork or vegetarian sausages, grilled and chopped into bite-sized pieces (if desired)
WHAT YOU DO WITH THEM:
I came up with this recipe one day when trying to find something warm, tasty and filling to warm us up on a cold winter evening. Having tried several variations on this recipe I think the one I'm noding was unanimously voted the best version to date, and the one I'm sticking with now. It's a handy one, because all the ingredients are basic store cupboard ingredients, and also, it's really nutritious and packed with protein - a great winter warmer, especially tasty when served with boiled new potatoes in their skins.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan add the onions and fry until softened. Add the sliced mushrooms and continue frying until the mushrooms have softened add the chopped peppers and continue stir-frying for a couple of minutes. Add the drained sweetcorn and stir in. Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir in the tin of tomatoes. Add the paprika, tabasco sauce, tomato ketchup and dried herbs, stirring well. Stir in the tin of baked beans, sauce and all, then add the drained kidney and butter beans. Turn up the heat, bring the stew to the boil and simmer, covered, for five to ten minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning and add more tobasco sauce if desired.
Turn down the heat and continue to simmer, gently uncovered for a further five minutes.
Serve on a bed of boiled rice, or with some new potatoes (boiled with their skins on).
Guaranteed to warm the coldest of vegetarians on a winter's day. And... good for you too!
For those of you who just can't do without meat, this stew is just as tasty when you add a few chopped, grilled pork sausages to it just at the end of cooking. Of course, vegetarians could also add chopped, grilled vegetarian sausages (Linda McCartney's sundried tomato vegetarian sausages are especially tasty.