going to pot

As the evenings grow colder, thoughts of stew simmer in my mind: slow-cooked carrots, potatoes and parsnips inspire warm and homey thoughts. Casserole meats beckon from their shelves – after all, they are cheap too. It’s not surprising that stew was peasant fare. It made the best use of what was available in those hardy wintertime months.

But I’m a little ahead of myself – it’s only October, and the best parsnips and cabbage are still a month or so in the making. But that doesn’t stop me from making an early autumn stew that I’ve often concocted, with many variants, over the years. This one I’m cooking up tonight uses sausage, haricot beans and greens – though I’ve made an absolutely outstanding one with butter beans, swiss chard, sausage and fennel. If I can just get my hands on some swiss chard this stew will be on the menu not long after.

Another stew that I absolutely adore I first ate at my friend Sarah’s. It’s a vegetarian stew, loaded with parsnips, carrots, swede and potato, with the exquisite addition of dumplings made of flour, butter, cheese and spring onion. A splash or several of cider complete the pot. I think of it as a ‘special occasion’ stew, though the ingredients, simple and affordable, say otherwise.

Also check out the British Trout Association’s Provencal Saffron and Tomato Stew with Trout

The stew last night was the fifth use of my roast chicken from Sunday, in the form of chicken stock. I learned a few things – first, the greens need a bit longer than I gave them, so I added a few extra minutes of simmering in the recipe.

I also made the HORRIBLE mistake of serving this to my husband without the addition of a mash. Let’s just say he grumbled.

However, the liquor of the stew is very intoxicating – the tomato puree at first seems too much, but once swirled in with the creamy beans and the nutty parmesan, it becomes something quite special. (And I brought the leftovers for lunch today, which were even better a day later.)

Sausage, white bean and greens stew
(serves 2, with plenty for seconds)

6 sausages with high pork content
2 tins of haricot beans (or other white beans like cannelloni or butter beans), rinsed
2 large leeks, cleaned and sliced
3 stalks of celery, trimmed and chopped
1 bag of greens, rinsed and torn small
1.25 litre of chicken stock
1.5 tbsp of tomato puree
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
25g block of parmesan (using the rind is fine)

Pour about 250ml of stock into a large pot with the leeks and celery and bring to a boil. Once at a boil, reduce the heat and allow to simmer until the vegetables are soft. Season.

Meanwhile, preheat the grill to medium. Place the sausages under the grill for about 8 minutes, and remove to cool. Once cool, chop the sausages up.

Once the vegetables are soft, add the beans, tomato puree, and 1 litre more stock. Bring back to the boil.

Again, return to a simmer, adding the parmesan rind and the sausages. Season again. Add the greens to the pot and mix through. Cover and allow to simmer for another 10-15 minutes.

Serve in large bowls, either on its own, or ladled over crushed steamed carrots.