Monday, July 27, 2015

BEEF, TOMATO & BEAN STEW


Some would say that it’s not truly winter without a hearty and filling meat stew. My finance goes nuts for meat; I put it in any meal and he instantly thinks that said meal is tasty. This beef, bean and tomato stew is very simple but tastes like it has been slow cooked for a few hours. If you don’t have 5 bean mix on hand you could use red kidney beans or butter/cannellini beans. Bay leaves are imperative to this recipe and can be purchased for under $2 at any major supermarket.  I used fresh rosemary, however dried rosemary would work just fine as well.  If you like spice, add smoked paprika or chilli powder when adding in all the remaining ingredients. I enjoyed eating this on its own, but you can add it to a bed of brown rice to increase the portion size from 2 to 4. 


INGREDIENTS

  • 1 teaspoon rice bran oil 
  • 1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
  • 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 500g lean beef, thinly sliced
  • 1 x 400g tin 5 bean mix, rinsed & drained
  • 3 medium (400g) tomatoes, diced
  • 2 bay leaves 
  • Optional- 1 teaspoon ground chilli and/or 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 2 tablespoons fresh or dried rosemary 
  • 1 cup salt reduced beef stock 

COOKING 

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and swirl to coat the pan. Add red onion and garlic, stirring often for 2 minutes or until the onion & garlic has softened. Next add the beef strips, cooking for 3-4 minutes or until brown. 

2. Add the beans, tomatoes, bay leaves, spices if using, rosemary and beef stock to the pan. Stir well, then cover and bring to the boil. When boiled reduce the heat to a medium simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until most of the liquid has absorbed. Turn off the stove, then remove the 2 bay leaves from the stew. Stir in a pinch of sea salt & ground black pepper and serve warm, sprinkled with fresh rosemary if available.

Serves / 2 / Serves 4 if 1 cup of cooked brown rice is added 
Total Preparation time / 10 minutes 
Total Cooking time / 30 minutes 


x Emily 

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