It’s bean stew… and if you’re looking for comfort, gravy and pots of flavour… it’s still stew
Chicken, butter bean and pearl onion stew
Serves 6 | Easy | 1 hour 15 mins plus overnight for soaking
To drink: Roodeberg White from KWV, a blend of mainly chardonnay and chenin blanc. A buttery wine with a creamy mouthfeel and lime, citrus and yeasty flavours.
- 500g dried white beans
- salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 chicken breasts, cut into chunks
- 4 chicken thighs, cut into chunks
- 6 beef bangers, sliced
- 45ml (3 tbsp) olive oil
- 45ml (3 tbsp) butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 green pepper, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 200g pickling onions, peeled
- 45ml (3 tbsp) fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, plus extra for serving
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 600ml good-quality chicken stock
- 30ml (2 tbsp) cornflour
- 250ml (1 cup) dry white wine
- Put the beans in a deep mixing bowl and cover with water. Leave them to soak overnight.
- Next day, season the chicken and bangers. In a large pot or casserole dish, brown the chicken pieces and bangers until golden on all sides. Remove and set aside until needed.
- In the same pot, heat the olive oil and butter and sauté the onion, carrot, celery, pepper and garlic for a few minutes. Toss through the onions and cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Add the beans, herbs and stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer for about 40 minutes.
- Mix the cornflour with the wine until smooth and stir into the stew. Bring to a boil and stir until it thickens, about 1 minute.
- Add the chicken and bangers and heat through. Ladle into large bowls and serve with rustic bread and green salad or steamed long-grain rice.
By Anna Montali. Photograph by Graeme Borchers. Styling by Ingrid Casson. Article taken from the May 2010 edition of Food and Home Magazine.
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