Skip to main content

Chili Beans Primavera

Beans and rice are a great combination, not only because they make a satisfying toothy meal, but also complement their proteins very well - especially if you add a bit of dairy.  So serve this dish with a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream for rich flavor, and full protein complement.


1 yellow sweet onion, sliced
2 carrots, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 15-oz can chili beans with sauce
1 cup water
5 oz fresh baby spinach leaves

Sauté the onion, carrot and celery in a medium skillet until just softened and beginning to caramelize, about 8-10 minutes.  
Add three pepper about half way through.
When the veggies are softened slightly and flavorful, add the beans and water and bring to a gentle boil.  
Add the spinach and cook to allow spinach to wilt.  Adjust thickness with water - you should have a nice saucy preparation.

Serve with brown rice and a dollop of Greek yogurt or sour cream, if desired.  Serves 4.


Cook’s Note: You can use many types of saucy beans here.  For example you could do this dish with cuban spicy black beans, or curried lentils from a can.  I also love baked beans, especially the spicy Sriracha varieties.  But baked beans can have too much added sugar, so I have drained them and added water back to the dish to reconstitute a sauce which is less sweet.  

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Umami Beef Short Ribs Samin Nosrat

This is the penultimate prep for beef short ribs.  Based on the superb documentary by Samin Nosrat, Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, this is the most umami rib dish you will ever have.  Its the combination of red miso and soy sauce that marinates and flavors the beef - give it a long time to work right - that means overnight in the fridge; it's worth the planning ahead. 6 beef short ribs on the bone, about 3-4 lb 1 large sweet yellow onion, diced 2 stalks celery, diced 1 jalapeño pepper, minced 4 cloves garlic, halved Marinade: 1/4 cup red miso 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup pale dry sherry or Mirin rice wine 1 Tbsp sesame oil 1 Tbsp honey 2 cloves garlic, minced Salt the ribs generously with coarse salt and let rest overnight in the refrigerator in a resealable plastic bag. Whisk together the marinade.   Pour into the plastic bag and allow to marinate on the counter for about 2-3 hours, or again overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat...

'Back-of-the-bag' King Arthur Oatmeal Bread

This is one of the best loaves of bread I have ever made, based on a famous recipe.  Friends swear about King Arthur recipes, and now I do too.  I only modified King Arthur's recipe slightly, adding the yolk of the egg I used for the eggwash on the crust. Goes great with a big pot of bean soup.  And it toasts up so nicely - aroma therapy for the whole house! 3-1/4 to 3-1/2 cups bread flour 1 cup old fashioned oats 2 tsp active dry yeast 2 Tbsp honey 1-1/2 tsp salt 2 Tbsp butter, finely diced 1 egg yolk 1-1/4 cup lukewarm (about 100F) milk 1 egg white plus 1 Tbsp water about 1/4 cup old fashioned oats for topping Mix ingredients to a firm but still tacky dough.  You’ll have to adjust the final amount of dough to the humidity of your kitchen and flour - err on the sticky side for a lighter, moister loaf.  Knead dough 5 minutes.  Roll dough around in an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow dough to rise an hour. ...

Braised Salmon Hong Ya

This is a warm hearty dish you can enjoy when you crave a warm rich seafood soup or stew. I learned this approach to salmon from my co-grandparent Hong Ya who taught me many wonderful dishes from China. It's kind of like an Asian seafood chowder. The nori seaweed brings out the earthy flavors of the sea, which pair so well with the salmon. The sesame oil and chili flakes sharpen the dish a bit against the silky curtains of the wilted spinach. Beautiful as it is delicious, this dish is simple, yet so rewarding. 1/2 shallot, finely diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1-inch fresh ginger, minced Liquids: 1 cup chicken broth (I used Better than Bouillon) 1/2 cup dry white wine 1/2 cup water 1 tsp black soy sauce 1 tsp soy sauce 1 tsp toasted sesame oil Dash hot pepper flakes (I used Korean chili flakes), or to taste 1 lb salmon bites, (1-inch, skinless cubes) 5 oz fresh baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped 1/2 cup Kizami Nori seaweed strips Sauté the shallots in a dash of neutral oil over m...