Bulgarian White Bean Stew

This is a homely, comforting stew that my mum used to make all the time and I have carried on with it. It is a vegan recipe that can easily be adjusted to having meat in it. It's particularly good with bacon or meatballs. It is a cheap and easy stew requiring only a few ingredients. Feel free to substitute the dried beans to canned to make this even quicker to cook. You could also pre cook the dried beans and keep them in the fridge for a a couple of says before using. Alternatively, you could freeze the cooked beans and add to the stew from frozen.

Ingredients

250g dried butter beans, soaked in lots of water for 8 hours or overnight

2 onions, one sliced into large chunks, the other finely diced

2 bay leaves (optional)

Peppercorns (optional)

2 tbsp oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp paprika

1tbsp tomato paste

1 mug, plus extra, vegetable broth

1 tbsp plain flour

A few pinches each of dried mint and dried savory, to taste

Method

Start by draining the soaking beans and placing them in a large pot. Fill this up with water and add the large chunks of onion. If you wish, you may add some peppercorns and a couple of bay leaves here, but they are not necessary. Bring to the boil and cook for 45 minutes to an hour, until the beans are cooked through. Drain and set aside. Remove the bay leaves if you have used them.

Put the oil in the pot and heat through. Add the diced onion and garlic, frying until soft and translucent. Add the paprika and tomato paste, stirring for about a minute.

Add the 1 mug of vegetable broth and stir together before adding the cooked beans. Add a little more water if you think it needs it.

Bring to the boil and add the flour, stirring all the time to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot and the stew thickens.

Once everything has heated through, add the mint and savory, stirring though and turning off the heat. Serve in bowls with slices of bread.