This quick and easy stew is a great mid-week dinner. It’s based on a recipe I found in a BBC Good Food magazine last winter, and as the nights start to get a little cooler and darker, I thought it was about time to share it on the blog, as I have made it a few times since.
I love having this simple stew with halloumi, but it’s also great with veggie sausages which you can just cook in the oven, chop into chunks and stir through at the end.
If I am keeping an eye on my carbs, I just have a big bowl of this stew with half a block of halloumi which is filling and very satisfying! But it’s also great served with crusty sourdough for a really comforting, easy meal.
Note on the spice mix: I usually use Sainsbury’s Harissa Spices but last time I made this I used their Baharat Spice Mix instead which is very warming with nutmeg, cloves and paprika. I think most middle-eastern spice mixes would work well, depending on what you have in.
This recipe make 3-4 portions.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 white onion, thinly sliced
- 1 red, yellow or orange pepper, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tsp harissa spice mix (or barharat as above)
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp brown sugar
- Zest of a fresh lemon
- 400g tin mixed beans, drained and rinsed (I also threw in half a tin of leftover baked beans)
- 400g tin chopped tomatoes
- 1 bay leaf, if you have it
- 1 block halloumi, sliced so they are 0.5 cm thick
- Handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped
Method
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and pepper, along with a pinch of salt and fry for 10 mins or until softened. Add the garlic, tomato paste, harissa spice mix and paprika and cook for 1 min. Add some lemon zest if you have it, just about a quarter of the lemon will do. Tip in the beans and tomatoes along with half a tin of water, then bring to a simmer and cook with the lid off for 15 mins. Add the bay leaf if using.
After 15 mins, check the seasoning, adding the brown sugar and a little salt and black pepper. Remember the halloumi is salty so don’t add too much salt!
Next, heat a separate non-stick frying pan to a medium heat. Gently add the slices of halloumi and fry for 2 mins on each side or until golden brown. You may have to add oil to stop them sticking, but I avoid this if possible!
Divide the stew into deep bowls, top with the halloumi and scatter over the chopped parsley.
This stew is freezer friendly or stores in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
