Steve Farrow
Matching vegetarian dishes with red wine ought not to be that difficult, but there
does seem to be a sense that white (or rosé) wines are a better default mode.
Is this because there's an underlying assumption that veggie dishes are light and
inconsequential – bland even? Admittedly there isn't the tooth and claw chew
of protein and fat that you get from meat, which shows many red wines in a
flattering light. But with the plethora of ingredients easily available to jazz up the
simplest of dishes, surely reds need not be off the list for veggie food? As with
any wine match it is really about the dominant flavours and textures of a dish, and
their depth and richness, enhanced or created by the spices or other umami
(savoury) elements the cook has introduced. This should guide where your hand
comes to rest when picking a suitable bottle.
So, asked to come up with a recipe for a bold, powerful Spanish red, I hit upon a black bean stew. The deep, earthy flavours of the dish, complemented by a tangy salsa, pair well with
the big, ripe black-fruit flavours of this deliciously rich tempranillo, and no bull
(or other beast) need otherwise feature for your flavour or protein hit.
Steve Farrow, Wine Information Editor
Black Bean Stew with Salsa
Ingredients
For the stew:
| 1 x 400g tin black beans, drained and rinsed |
| 1 x 400g tin chopped tomatoes |
| 3 tbsp vegetable or olive oil |
| 1 stick of celery, diced |
| 1 small onion, diced |
| 3 cloves garlic, crushed |
| 1 red pepper, deseeded and cut into chunks |
| 1 green pepper, deseeded and cut into chunks |
| ½ pint/300ml vegetable stock |
| 1 tbsp tomato purée |
| 1 tsp ground cinnamon |
| 1 tsp ground coriander |
| ½ tsp smoked paprika |
| 1 tbsp dried oregano |
| Pinch of chilli flakes or cayenne (or more if you like heat) |
| 1 lime, ½ of it cut into wedges,
the other half retained for the salsa
(or 2 limes if serving more than two
people) |
| Salt and black pepper |
| Handful of fresh, chopped coriander for scattering |
| Sour cream for dolloping (optional) |
For the salsa:
| 2 large tomatoes, deseeded and diced
(you can skin them if you like but it
looks prettier if the skin is on and
glistening in the dressing and juices) |
| ½ red onion, peeled and finely diced |
| Lime juice from half of the lime (see above) |
| Handful chopped coriander |
| ½ clove of garlic, crushed (if you're
not such a fan of garlic just rub the cut
clove around the inside of the bowl
you are going to mix the salsa in) |
| 2 tbsp olive oil |
| 1 small red chilli, deseeded and finely diced (optional) |
| A good pinch of salt and black pepper |
Method
Heat the oil in a big saucepan or
casserole dish over a medium heat
and then sauté the celery and onion
until just softened and translucent.
If you like you can let the onion
brown a little, but not burn, for a bit
of extra flavour. Add the red and
green pepper and cook for five
minutes over the same heat to soften
them. Add the garlic and cook for
two or three minutes more, but
don't let the garlic burn.
Add the ground coriander and
cinnamon, smoked paprika, the chilli
or cayenne and the tomato purée and
cook for a couple of minutes, stirring
occasionally. Add the tinned
tomatoes, the stock and the oregano
and bubble for 20 minutes or so to
let the flavours amalgamate and the
stew to thicken a little. Then add the
black beans and cook for five more
minutes, so that the beans are heated
through but not allowed to go mushy.
While the stew is cooking and before
the black beans are added you have
time to knock together the salsa.
Once you've done the prep (dicing,
crushing, chopping etc.) it couldn't
be simpler. Put all the ingredients
into a bowl and mix well. Voila!
Alternatively, make it well ahead of
the stew to allow all the flavours to
combine.
Serve the stew in bowls with a dollop
of sour cream (if liked), a scattering
of coriander, a lime wedge and the
salsa on the side. To make even more
of a meal of it serve with the rice of
your choice cooked simply as a foil to
the deep, dark and earthy flavours of
the stew.
Steve Farrow writes recipes to go with our Wine Without Fuss wine selections.