There’s a chill in the air and the library is getting you down. Come home and get cozy with a bowl of hearty butterbeans, ready in less than 20 minutes. This recipe can be made vegan by using a veggie stock cube, and I have added some optional ingredients for if you want to pack in some extra nutrition and flavour. Did I mention you only need one pan?
Ingredients:
- 1 leek, sliced
- Olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 stock cube (vegetable or chicken)
- 60g creamed coconut block OR approx. 200 ml coconut milk from a can
- 500 ml boiling water
- 1 can/carton/jar of butterbeans, approx. 230g drained
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional (not strictly necessary but will level up your beans):
- ½ tsp chilli flakes or to taste
- ½ tsp Paprika
- Anchovies
- Chopped spinach (fresh or frozen)
- Squeeze of lemon
- Sprinkle of parmesan
Method:
- Wash your leek. I find the best way is to slice lengthways to access any soil between the layers. Once washed, slice across thinly to create half-moons.
- Add a splash of olive oil to a frying pan, enough to cover the base of the pan. On a low-medium heat, allow the oil to heat through before adding your sliced leeks. Add a pinch of salt. Optionally, layer the flavours by also adding chilli flakes, paprika, or even a couple of anchovies! Cook leeks until softened.
- Separately, in a heat-safe jug, add the stock cube and creamed coconut to 500 ml boiling water. Stir to help dissolve.
- Once leeks are softened, add garlic. Cook for a few minutes or until the garlic is fragrant, then add your coconut-stock mix. If you are using coconut milk, simply add to the pan at the same time as the stock. Increase heat to medium.
- Add your butterbeans to the pan, and simmer on medium heat for approximately 5 minutes to allow the beans to heat through or until you’ve reached the desired thickness.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if required. An optional step for some extra greens is to add a handful of chopped spinach until wilted. Choose to finish with a squeeze of lemon, a grating of parmesan cheese, or a drizzle of good olive oil. Or all three.
Serve with some toasted bread, a portion of rice, or as a side with some chicken (not for the vegans). Stay warm and enjoy!
Image by Anya Samuel.