Photographed today in natural light augmented by Manfrotto Lumia Art LED light
Cabbage works brilliantly with the salty tang of the bacon - and bacon and beans is a well known combo. A sweet note is provided by the Chantenay carrots. Once again I haven't given quantities. I'm sure its common sense; you will need fairly equal amounts of each of the main elements. I suppose, strictly speaking, this isn't a stew because the vegetables and meat are cooked separately and then brought together in the stock at the end. But, cooked this way, each element retains its unique taste and bright colour.
Ingredients
Cooked bacon or gammon partially shredded into chunks
Cavolo Nero, sliced, with central stalk removed. You could substitute green cabbage.
Chantenay carrots. You could use ordinary carrots cut into chunks.
Butterbeans (I used tinned), You could substitute another type of bean.
A few fresh tomatoes
Vegetable or ham stock
Butter or vegetable oil
Onion, chopped
Tomato puree
Method
- Sautee chopped onion in a generous amount of butter (or oil) until softened.
- Add the carrots and keeping the heat low, cover the pan with a lid or foil and cook slowly until the carrots are softened.
- Meanwhile, boil the Cavolo Nero or cabbage in salted water until just tender.
- Add stock to the carrots and onions, then add the bacon chunks, beans, Cavolo Nero or cabbage and squirt or two of tomato puree. allow to heat through. Taste for seasoning.
- While the stew is warming through, fry quarters of fresh tomato in a separate pan until softened. Add to the stew.
- Serve the stew with chunks of bread for dunking.
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