Spicy Black Bean and Potato Stew with Tomato Salsa

The Washington Post, May 6, 2009
Nourish

Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Features: Healthy, Meatless, Gluten-Free
Summary:

Just made this tonight for tomorrow - easy to cut up the ingredients, then let it cook while eating tonight's dinner.  Tastes very good so far.  The broth thickens up, probably from the starch in the potatoes.  Not as certain about the salsa.  We love cilantro, but I had it in the fridge for a week, and it has very little taste left.  We'll see how it turns out tomorrow.

Making good-tasting vegetarian food is a lot like creating healthful dishes that are low in fat and sodium. Instead of relying on fat, salt or meat for flavor, you use herbs, spices and contrasting textures. If you're successful, you'll have dishes that please everyone at the table.

I'm a big fan of stews; this one is packed with beans and potatoes, and it gets an extra boost from a fresh salsa of tomato and cilantro. It makes a full-flavored vegetarian entree or a nice side dish for grilled chicken.

A vegetable stew cooks quickly, and it can be a challenge not to overcook its ingredients. I do the prep work in advance and serve this dish just after I cook it, to preserve the integrity of its components.

MAKE AHEAD: To keep the sodium in this dish low, cook the black beans instead of buying the canned ones (see NOTE below). They can be prepared and refrigerated up to 4 days in advance.

4 to 6 main-course servings or 8 side-dish servings

Ingredients:

For the stew
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch dice (1 cup)
1 medium carrot, cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch dice (used 2)
1 rib celery, cut into 1/4- to 1/2-inch dice (about 2/3 cup)  (used 2)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chili powder, or to taste
2 tablespoons double-concentrated tomato paste (may substitute 1/4 cup tomato paste; see NOTES)
3 cups cooked black beans (see NOTES)
1 pound all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch dice (about 2 1/2 cups)  (used 1 white potato and one sweet)
About 2 cups water or vegetable broth  (1.5 cups veg broth with 560 mg Na per cup and 0.5 cups water)

For the salsa
8 ounces vine-ripened tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped (2/3 cup)
2 to 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves, or to taste
Juice and finely grated zest of 1 lime
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil


Directions:

For the stew: Heat the oil in a skillet or shallow braiser large enough to hold all of the ingredients (at least 12 inches wide) over medium heat.

Add the onion, carrot, celery and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt; cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 12 minutes, until the vegetables have softened but not browned. Reduce the heat as needed if they are cooking too fast.  (Leave long enough for the carrots to soften, because they cook much more slowly than the potatoes.)

Increase the heat to medium if needed; add the chili powder and tomato paste. Cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes, then add the beans, potato, water/ broth and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine; when the liquid just starts to bubble at the edges, cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Remove from the heat.

While the stew cooks, make the salsa: Combine the tomatoes, cilantro to taste, lime juice and zest, sugar, salt and oil; mix well.

Divide the stew among individual bowls; top each portion with a generous tablespoon of the salsa. Serve warm.

NOTES: Double-concentrated tomato paste comes in a handy tube and is available in the Italian section of most supermarkets. It can be refrigerated for months.

To cook beans, place 1 cup dried black beans or small white beans in a medium bowl; add water to cover by at least 1 inch and let soak overnight at room temperature.

Drain, then transfer to a medium saucepan. Add enough water to cover the beans by an inch or two. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 90 minutes or until tender to the bite.

Drain the beans, then spread them on a baking sheet to cool. Use right away, or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days. (This should yield about 3 cups total.)

Per serving using water for 6 servings: 240 calories, 10 g protein, 40 g carbs, 5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 250 mg sodium, 11g dietary fiber, 4 g sugar.