Chorizo, Tomato and Chilli Bean Stew

Chorizo, Tomato and Chilli Bean Stew

I came across this little gem of a recipe several years ago when I was preparing for our wedding. I was on a mission to lose weight and coupled with regular gym sessions, I followed the Weightwatchers Points system. Believe it or not, this recipe is inspired from Weightwatchers. I have adapted for my own taste buds but the core ingredients remain true to the original recipe. I continue to be surprised at how creative and tasty some of their recipes can be. Who would have thought chorizo would be used in one of their recipes?

This recipe can also be used as a quick mid-week meal when you don’t have a lot in the fridge as it relies on a few staples in your store cupboard.  It’s one of our favorite mid-week meals as the intense flavor grips you from the first bite. As the colder months approach, we tend to rely on this recipe more and more frequently as it “warms the cockles of your heart” as my dad keeps telling me!

Print Chorizo, Tomato and Chilli Bean Stew

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Serving Size: Serves 4 for Lunch or Dinner

A classic dish to heat you up in the Autumn/Winter nights. Very simple to prepare and made in a matter of minutes. If you feel the dish is too "bean heavy", adjust the amount of red kidney beans according to your taste.

Ingredients

• 400g of fresh plum tomatoes, or, 400g tin of chopped, plum tomatoes
• 2 red chilli peppers (including seeds), chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, pressed
• 2 small onions or 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1 tbsp of mixed herbs
• 100ml of water
• 400g of kidney beans, (drained)
• 400g of butter beans, (drained)
• 150g of chorizo sausage, thinly sliced
• Freshly ground pepper for seasoning
• A generous bunch of coriander

Instructions

1. Cut the tomatoes in half and place in a blender with the mixed herbs to make a sauce.
2. In a saucepan sauté the onions in olive oil for about 4 minutes, then add the chilli and the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
3. Pour the tomato sauce into the saucepan with 100ml of water and bring to the boil.
4. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes.
5. Add the chorizo, butter and chilli beans and cook for a further 15 minutes. You want the sauce to be reduced so leave the lid off.
6. When you are happy with the consistency, serve up in a bowl and garnish with lots of fresh chopped coriander. A side order of crusty bread is always nice to mop up this most fragrant of stews.

Notes

If you are not a fan of spicy dishes, reduce the amount of chilli pepper.

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Obviously if you don’t have fresh tomatoes in the fridge, replace with a tin of chopped plum peel tomatoes. It works just as well.

I prefer the stew to be quite thick so I reduce it as much as possible. However, if you are looking for more of a soup consistency just remove from the heat when you reach the desired viscosity.

If you have a bowl of the hot stuff you’ll keep the cold at bay. Nothing could be simpler to make.

A bowl of the hot stuff to keep the cold at bay

What classic dishes do you prepare to heat you up as the temperature plummets?

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