Last week, I made this black bean, cauliflower and sweet potato stew. It was a nice and simple meal. Since I cook mainly plant-based meals, black beans are a key staple in our family. They are high in plant protein and fibre and contain vitamins and minerals that are necessary for good health.

You can make this recipe with canned or dry beans. For cooking dry beans, I don’t soak them overnight anymore. I simply rinse the dry beans under cold running water and put them directly in a pot of boiling salted water. With the lid half on, I let them simmer for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the beans are tender to taste. It works and it’s great not having to soak them overnight!

The recipe below serves about 4-6 people. If you are cooking for 2, you can halve the ingredients.

Bon appétit!

Black bean, cauliflower and sweet potato stew

Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• Olive oil for baking/sautéing
• 3 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped in big-size cubes
• 1 large cooking onion, diced
• 1 large sweet red bell pepper, diced
• 3 cups fresh ripe tomatoes with skins, diced
• 1 teaspoon (tsp) of each: dried oregano, powdered cumin and paprika (hot or mild)
• 1 clove or a pinch of powdered clove
• 2 cups beer, preferably dark
• 4 cups vegetable stock, preferably homemade (can add more later)
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 cups cooked black beans, (canned or dry beans boiled)
• 2 cups raw cauliflower florets
• Add a little almond milk to reduce acidity
• Sea salt and ground pepper, to taste
• Garnish servings with dried herbs of choice

Procedure

Heat oven to 200°C / 400°F. In a baking dish, toss the sweet potato cubes with a little olive oil and spread them out evenly. Cover dish with foil and bake in oven for 20 minutes until partially cooked. Remove and set aside.

Heat up 2-3 tablespoons olive oil a big pot. Reduce to medium heat and sauté for 6 minutes the onion, red pepper, tomatoes, oregano, cumin, paprika and clove. Add a little water if ingredients stick to bottom.

Add beer, vegetable stock and tomato paste. Add the 3 cups of black beans and simmer with cover on for 5 minutes.

Remove 1½ cups of stew base (with some beans) to a separate pot and process with a handheld blender until thick. Pour this back into the stew pot and mix well.

Add partially cooked sweet potatoes and raw cauliflower florets to the stew and simmer for 15-20 minutes with lid partially on, stirring from time to time. Simmer until the potatoes are fork tender.

Season with sea salt and ground pepper to taste. Add some almond milk to reduce acidity.

Let the stew sit off the heat to marinate for 15 minutes before serving. The potatoes and black beans can soak up some stock and beer. Add more vegetable stock according to taste. Adjust salt and pepper.

Serve with crusty bread.