I will explain the original motivation for this stew, but it's occured to me while writing up the recipe that this meal would be easy to manage anywhere in the world if you have one pot and one thing to heat it on, because the ingredients or their equivalents should be available whether you are in England, Germany, France, Italy or Mexico (hello year abroad people!). Beans and sausage of some kind exist in most countries! By equivalents, I mean that this is largely flexible as a dish, but I’ve added alternatives where I think certain other things might go well. Without bouillon etc, save stock from cooking vegetables or meat, or just add salt.Vegetables can be adapted accordingly - any kind of root would work well. Spices, if you are lacking, would be okay as just generic herbes de provence, but something slightly spicy or peppery is always good for depth. Similarly mustard and vinegar are great, but are less common/may not naturally be in your cupboard away from home.
Makes about 4 portions
half a large onion
1 carrot
1 potato (other root veg can replace these two)
2 tins of beans, preferably different sorts. I used 1 kidney beans, 1 haricot beans, plus
any leftover baked beans found in the fridge. I was actually looking for better beans, but this was all Carrefour had to offer...
1/2 tin of tomatos and/or a good few chopped fresh tomatoes
1 large clove of garlic
200g of Sausage, I used Andouille, explained below
1 cup of water
1/2 bouillon cube/ 1tsp bouillon powder
A tablespoon of tomato purée
1 desert sp of grain mustard
liberal dashes of tabasco
black pepper, I added a lot
a good full teaspoon of paprika, smokey if possiblesome greens to serve, brocolli or dark cabbage
Adding red pepper also wouldn't go amiss.
One thing I tend to be sad about when eating French food (not all kinds) is the dominance of light flavours and creamy sauces here in the north. Despite the north being near England, it sometimes lacks the punchy flavours we might make in things like Shepherd's Pie or casseroles or other things. For this reason I get more excited by aubergines à la provençale, or things like ratatouille when you find them on menus, or especially in galettes. This is not a combination I have yet found in Brittany though as they favour the North. But these almost Italian flavours of Provence are equally, maybe more, warming for me in cold northern winter/rainy days and all that. They have got a good deal more garlic and tomatoes and olive oil, and everyone's favourite herbes de provence. I'm still not sure what counts as Provence. Anyway.
This recipe all started after I made a rather unadventurous potato wedges with haricots blancs en sauce de tomate (er, baked beans). But not being mad and eating the whole lot, I had leftover beans. So I made a recipe around about half a cup full of beans. That sounds a bit excessive seeing as my sister would probably just have eaten them cold out the fridge, but she was not there and, it being now finally autumn, it was about time to make something warming and wholesome.
And this is very wholesome! I had read a few recipes based around bean casserole/stew etc before, specifically Cowboy Beans, Shipwreck Casserole and Boston Baked Beans, and ended up creating something in between them that had the kind of deep sauce taste of being left over a campfire, that is even better on reheating, without adding any of the cheat ketchup that many American recipes call for (though I can maybe see their angle on brown sugar or maple syrup...)
I'll stop rattling on, give you the method and explain the sausages afterwards, or you'll never hear about the food.
Method:
Prepare the veg beforehand as this prevents faff later, and also allows multitasking/having a cup of tea while stuff cooks. This means dicing the onion, crushing or chopping garlic, chopping carrot and potato into dicey sized chunks too (though really does not matter if they are irregular). Keep the peel on, it’s good for you and has a lot of flavour. Wash them, this dish is earthy enough. This is also a good opportunity to use up old looking tomatos, as it just bulks things up a bit. Chop up sausage on a plate. I used Andouille and will explain this later.
Start frying the sausage in the pan. This dish cooks a while so you don't need to fear it won’t be cooked through, but the fat from this means frying the onions doesn’t need any oil added. Therefore this dish is pretty healthy, as I did not use much at all. Add the onions and garlic to the browning sausage, keeping it all over a medium heat. By the time the onions are soft, the sausage will be on its way to done (depending on which sort, of course). Then add the diced carrots and pots. Stir these a short while, but when things start to stick and get hot, add the cup of water. This is also the opportunity to crumble in the stock.
Leave this to cook until the veg begins to soften. After this everything goes in almost at once. Add the tinned beans, drained of a little of their juice, but leaving some adds to the tasty casserole sauce. Add the tomatoes and purée now as well. Heat through, and allow the veg to simmer until it is nearly cooked (still a bit al dente when tasted) before tasting and adding the season. This is all fine by taste to what suits you. Once all the spices are in, leave to cook down for about 20 minutes, until the vegetable will break up with a prod with a wooden spoon.
About ten minutes before the end was when I added brocolli, enough for one serving, because I don't like freezing or reheating brocolli, it turns to mush. I just stirred this into the mix as I didn't have a steamer, but things like this could be steamed or microwaves steamed to add on the side. I only had one pan option here though!
The sauce should no longer be watery, and instead will coat the veg. I served warm and didn't even use bread there was so much in here! But I would not say no to bread.
Freezes and reheats well. Add a couple of tablespoons of water to the mix when doing so. Reheating stews is always better on the stove than in the microwave as it allows the flavours to develop and reduce down.
This is a close second/third to Irish stew night, and spicey casserole made at Sacha's WHOSE RECIPE IS GONE WHO KNOWS WHERE. I think we found it on the internet, it may never be found, we'll have to create a Tribute...
A note on the sausage!
I bought Andouille sausage. It is used in quite small quantities in this dish, and it is therefore not a meat dish and this is not an essential ingredient by any means! It's mostly used in the vein of old cowboy bean stews where they would throw in an old raggedy bit of pork belly to make things all a bit richer, as a bit of a treat perhaps. Andouille sausage is a funny choice, as it is kind of made up of layers and disintegrates a bit when cooked. But it is not greasy or grainy at all.
If I were in England I would probably make this meat free unless I found a really good farmer or farmer's market. In France, my food ethics are a bit more accessible! A lot of meat has the name of the farmer printed on it. This Andouille was from within the same county. So I am lead to believe that it was made on small scale and local produced, which I approve of, as this generally assures to some scale the livelyhood of farmers (which is difficult when, as far as I know, farm animals rarely make a man rich!). Brittany is also one of the main pork producing regions, as perhaps Ireland is. As for the question of why there is meat in this at all (I love pigs!), is that I am in favour of supporting businesses that advocate and practice an ethical method of production by contrast to the intensive farming that, even countries like France who value local food, are guilty off. This does not mean rejecting meat altogerther, because I believe in supporting farmers who advocate this proper way of doing things, particularly if it involves ensuring that their animals live a healthy and happy life as a priority over any financial gain. It's also because of the slight issue I have with people drinking milk and being vegetarian, what with all the baby cows that go to waste. But that's another story. Brittany is also a great place to eat fish and seafood responsibly without having to spend an arm and a leg. Buying the andouille cost me about 2 or 3€, but I certainly wouldn't do this every day. It was as a good compliment to a wholesome dish. As for the seafood, I will add another time. I've talked enough today!
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