In this dish creamy polenta provides a comforting base for butter beans cooked in a fragrant tomato sauce topped with wilted spinach. Enjoy this combination of flavours and textures and serve with a fresh green salad, also goes nicely with ratatouille.
EQUIPMENT
1 medium size cooking pot/saucepan, 1 medium size fry pan,
a whisk and wooden spoon
INGREDIENTS FOR BUTTER BEANS IN FRAGRANT TOMATO SAUCE
170g or 1 medium brown onion, finely chopped
40g garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon paprika, sweet or smoked
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder, optional
1 teaspoon vegeta seasoning or 1/2 - 1 teaspoon salt
1 400g tin diced tomatoes with juice
1 400g tin butter or lima beans, drain the bean water
A handful of fresh spinach leaves or your greens of choice
cooking oil (optional) or if you don't like to use oil, saute' onion and garlic in
2 - 3 tablespoons of water
METHOD
*Heat a fry pan to medium high heat add 2 tablespoons of oil or (water if not using oil) add onions, saute' for 2 minutes.
*Add minced garlic saute' a further 1 minute then turn heat to medium and add in tomato paste along with seasonings of paprika, turmeric and vegeta or salt.
*Cook a few minutes then add diced tomatoes in juice.
*Turn heat down and let tomatoes simmer with rest of ingredients for 5 minutes.
*Add in drained butter beans, stir through tomato mixture and continue to simmer for another 5 minutes or until sauce thickens Adjust seasoning if needed. Tomato and beans should be nicely incorporated and the sauce nicely thickened
*Remove from heat and keep warm while you prepare the polenta.
INGREDIENTS FOR POLENTA
1 cup fine grain polenta
1 -2 vegetable stock cube * (see note)
1 pinch of salt
4 1/2 cups of filtered water
Optional flavour, vegan cheese or butter, fresh or dried herbs.
*NOTE- if the cubes are quite salty do not add extra pinch of salt. I always tatste the stock water first to make sure it has the right amount of flavour
METHOD
*In a medium size cooking pot add filtered water, vegetable stock cube and a pinch of salt.
*Bring water to a boil then slowly add in polenta whisking constantly to prevent lumps forming.
*Reduce heat to low and continue stiring frequently with a wooden spoon, being careful as polenta has a tendency to splatter.
*If using fine grain polenta it will not take long to cook 5-10 minutes.
*Once the polenta is cooked and has reached the desired consistency remove it from the heat.
*Adjust flavour now by adding more salt or seasoning, stir in any optional ingredients for added flavour if you wish.
ASSEMBLE
*Spoon out polenta onto a serving plater or individual plates
*Top with butter beans and tomato sauce
*Wilt greens of choice by steaming for a minute or so then arrange over butter beans.
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