Saturday, July 14, 2012

{soups-salads-and-salad-dressings} Spicy Black Bean and Potato Stew With Tomato Salsa

 

Spicy Black Bean and Potato Stew With Tomato Salsa

The Washington Post , May 6, 2009

Making good-tasting vegetarian food is a lot like creating healthful
dishes that are low in fat and sodium. Instead of relying on fat, salt
or meat for flavor, you use herbs, spices and contrasting textures. If
you're successful, you'll have dishes that please everyone at the table.

I'm a big fan of stews; this one is packed with beans and potatoes, and
it gets an extra boost from a fresh salsa of tomato and cilantro. It
makes a full-flavored vegetarian entree or a nice side dish for grilled
chicken.

A vegetable stew cooks quickly, and it can be a challenge not to
overcook its ingredients. I do the prep work in advance and serve this
dish just after I cook it, to preserve the integrity of its components.

MAKE AHEAD: To keep the sodium in this dish low, cook the black beans
instead of buying the canned ones (see NOTE below). They can be prepared
and refrigerated up to 4 days in advance.

4 to 6 main-course servings or 8 side-dish servings

For the stew

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch dice (1 cup)
1 medium carrot, cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch dice
1 rib celery, cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch dice (about 2/3 cup)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chili powder, or to taste
2 tablespoons double-concentrated tomato paste (may substitute 1/4 cup
tomato paste; see NOTES)
3 cups cooked black beans (see NOTES)
1 pound all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch dice
(about 2 1/2 cups)
About 2 cups water or vegetable broth

For the salsa

8 ounces vine-ripened tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped (2/3 cup)
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves, or to taste
Juice and finely grated zest of 1 lime
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the stew: Heat the oil in a skillet or shallow braiser large enough
to hold all of the ingredients (at least 12 inches wide) over medium heat.

Add the onion, carrot, celery and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt; cook,
stirring occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes, until the vegetables have
softened but not browned. Reduce the heat as needed if they are cooking
too fast.

Increase the heat to medium if needed; add the chili powder and tomato
paste. Cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the beans, potato,
water and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine; when the
liquid just starts to bubble at the edges, cover and reduce the heat to
medium-low. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
Remove from the heat.

While the stew cooks, make the salsa: Combine the tomatoes, cilantro to
taste, lime juice and zest, sugar, salt and oil; mix well.

Divide the stew among individual bowls; top each portion with a generous
tablespoon of the salsa. Serve warm.

NOTES: Double-concentrated tomato paste comes in a handy tube and is
available in the Italian section of most supermarkets. It can be
refrigerated for months.

To cook beans, place 1 cup dried black beans or small white beans in a
medium bowl; add water to cover by at least 1 inch and let soak
overnight at room temperature.

Drain, then transfer to a medium saucepan. Add enough water to cover the
beans by an inch or two. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the
heat to medium-low and cook for about 90 minutes or until tender to the
bite.

Drain the beans, then spread them on a baking sheet to cool. Use right
away, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4
days. (This should yield about 3 cups total.)
Recipe Source:

Source : columnist Stephanie Witt Sedgwick via The Soups-N-Stews mailer
on Cooking-Lists.com

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