Gigantes plaki (BBC version)

Recipe from BBC good food magazine sept 2009.


400g dried butter beans
3 tbsp Greek extra virgin olive oil , plus more to serve
1 Spanish onion , finely chopped
2 garlic cloves , finely chopped
2 tbsp tomato purée
800g ripe tomatoes , skins removed, roughly chopped (or use 2 tins of tomatoes)
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dried oregano
pinch ground cinnamon
2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley , plus extra to serve

1. Soak the beans overnight in plenty of water. Drain, rinse, then place in a pan covered with water. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, then simmer for approx 50 mins until slightly tender but not soft. Drain, then set aside.
2. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, tip in the onion and garlic, then cook over a medium heat for 10 mins until softened but not browned. Add the tomato purée, cook for a further min, add remaining ingredients, then simmer for 2-3 mins. Season generously, then stir in the beans. Tip into a large ovenproof dish, then bake for approximately 1 hr, uncovered and without stirring, until the beans are tender. The beans will absorb all the fabulous flavours and the sauce will thicken. Allow to cool, then scatter with parsley and drizzle with a little more olive oil to serve.

As you like it Sausage and Bean Stew

Essential ingredients:

4 or 6 tasty sausages
3 small or 2 large leeks
1 or two red onions
at least 3 cloves garlic
2 tins of tomatoes, chopped
One tin of butter, kidney or haricot beans
Herbs, salt and pepper


Optional ingredients:

Half a red pepper
Five to ten mushrooms
A few rashers of bacon
A stick of celery
1 glass white wine
Some like it hot - chilli powder, mustard seed, cumin or other spicy spices

Instructions:
Prick the skins of the sausages and brown them in the bottom of a large pan. While they are sizzling, chop up the leeks, onions, garlic, pepper, mushrooms, celery and bacon. When the sausages are looking brown, take them out, leaving their fat in the pan. Throw the chopped vegetables (and bacon) into the pan and start them cooking in the sausage fat (with the lid on). Cut the sausages into chunks, and throw them back into the pan. When the vegetables are just soft, add the chopped tomatoes and white wine, and season with salt, pepper, herbs and spices. Simmer with the lid on for at least twenty minutes. Then rinse and drain the beans and add them to the stew, and simmer with the lid off for another twenty minutes.

Serve with mashed potato, rice, or a big chunk of crusty bread.

Kota Kapama

To serve 5

One chicken cut into serving pieces or five chicken pieces
Juice of one lemon
Some chicken fat, oil or butter, about 3 tablespoons
a glass of dry white wine (optional)
a can of plum tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato paste diluted in 4 fl oz of water
1 large stick of cinnamon
3 whole cloves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
fresh parsley or watercress for garnish

1. Rub the chicken pieces with the lemon juice. Allow to stand for a bit.
2. Heat the fat in a heavy braising pot.
3. Sauté the chicken till it's a light chestnut colour, turning with tongs.
4. Warm the wine and pour it into the pan.
5. Stir in the tomatoes and tomato paste.
6. Bury the cinnamon stick and cloves among the chicken pieces.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Simmer over the lowest possible heat for 1 1/2 hours or more (or transfer to a medium slow oven to finish the cooking).

Serve warm with rice or mashed potatoes, garnished with parsley or watercress, and with a side dish of vegetables or salad.