Magic bean stew

Why magic? Have you heard the story of Jack and the Beanstalk? These could be the same beans… anyway this stew certainly warms you up magically, and is great wrapped in a flour tortilla, burrito-style – or simply served with a slice of crusty bruschetta on the side.

From the garden: garlic, onion, celery, carrots, coriander
Recipe source: Melissa
Serves: 6 or 24 tastes

• Large glass bowl
• Scales
• Measures: tablespoon, teaspoon
• Colander
• A medium saucepan & a large heavy-based saucepan
• Chopping boards & knives
• Potato peelers
• Salad spinner
• Garlic press
• Wooden spoon
• Ladle
• Serving bowls

Ingredients:

• 100g dried cannellini beans
• 100g dried borlotti beans
• 100g black eyed beans
• 100g dried chickpeas
• 2 teaspoons bicarbonate of soda
• 5 garlic cloves
• 1 red onion
• Olive oil
• 2 stalks of celery
• 2 carrots
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 bunch coriander
• Flaked salt & black pepper

What to do:

• The night before, place your dried beans in the glass bowl and fill the bowl with cold water and the bicarb.
• The next day, rinse and drain the beans, then put them into the medium saucepan with lots of fresh cold water to cover. Add 3 garlic cloves & grind of pepper. Set on a medium heat and simmer until beans are soft – should be around 20-30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, peel and finely chop the onions.Wash and shake the celery dry then slice down the stalks, then chop the thin strips and leaves into small dice.
• Wash and peel the carrots, slice into lengths then chop the lengths into small pieces.
• Wash and spin dry the coriander and chop finely, keeping the stalks separate from the leaves.
• Peel and squeeze the remaining garlic cloves through the press.
• Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in the large saucepan and fry the onion gently for 2 minutes, then add in the garlic, celery, carrot and chopped coriander stalks (not leaves, keep thewm for later) for about 5 minutes until the flavours combine.
• Add the tomatoes and continue to cook on a gentle heat for a further 5 minutes, and then scoop out the beans and in to the tomato with a little liquid to moisten. Simmer for another 10 minutes.
• Add a grind of pepper and a sprinkle of salt and taste to check seasoning.
• Ladle into serving bowls, sprinkle with chopped coriander leaves and eat!

Notes: Why do we soak the beans overnight? What is another name for stew? What is coriander also known as?