
Spanish Bean Stew
Ingredients:
- 3 Tbs. olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 small carrot, chopped
- 1 leek, white portion only, halved, rinsed and coarsely chopped
- 2 tsp. Spanish or Hungarian paprika
- 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
- 1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cans (each 15 oz.) kidney or pinto beans, drained and rinsed
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions:
Prepare the onion
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm 2 Tbs. of the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 8 minutes.
Remove from the heat and transfer half of the onion to a blender. Add the broth, process until smooth and set aside.
Finish the stew
Return the pan to medium-high heat and warm the remaining 1 Tbs. olive oil. Add the carrot and leek to the remaining onion and sauté until the leek is tender, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, stir in the paprika and garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the green beans, kidney beans and pureed onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beans are crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
Season the stew with salt and pepper, divide among warmed soup bowls and serve immediately. Serves 4.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Food Made Fast Series, Vegetarian, by Dana Jacobi (Oxmoor House, 2007).