Hygge is Danish for getting cosy and comforted. Get more fluent in hygge with this recipe for hearty bean stew with dumplings. Allow time for the stew to get a bit jammy in the pan, then transfer to a casserole and you can add the dumplings on top to cook on. Students added this to their favourites list at the end of class recently.
I had these super, fat, tasty big Christmas Lima beans from the Hodmedod Pulse Club, and I suggest some big bean, like these or the Bold Bean Co’s Queen Butter Beans or Gigantes.
This was a double protein winner as I had some lentil flour I wanted to try (also from the Pulse Club) and used this in the dumplings. All wheat or gf flour will work ok too, I think.
I got vegan suet from Buy Wholefoods Online. It is principally coconut oil which, as a saturated fat is not for every day. But eating vegan you do avoid a lot of saturated fat anyway. Humble dumplings are a treat.
Ingredients (for 6)
for the stew
- A tin of butter beans, drained, or 400g of your chosen bean cooked c250g uncooked pulses, but why not cook the whole packet, make a bean pate from the rest or freeze to add to a soup another time
- c500g chopped vegetables I used celery, carrot, tromboncino squash from the garden but you could add any veg in season such as swede, peppers
- 150g chopped greens or kale I recommend cutting out the midrib and adding these harder pieces in at the chopped veg stage
- 2tbsp vegetable oil
- 2tbsp oregano be generous
- say, 8, sundried tomato halves cut into half-centimetre square pieces optional but adds good flavour
- a tin of tomatoes
- 3 generous tbsp tomato puree
- c.200ml boiled water
- fresh ground rock or sea salt or flaky salt, and pepper for seasoning
for the dumplings (makes 6)
- 40g lentil flour plus 40g wholewheat SR flour or 80g flour of choice
- 1/2tsp baking powder
- 25g suet
- a good tsp thyme
- 3-4tbsp water
- 1/2tsp fine salt
Method
- turning often, soften the veg in the oil in a pan, having added the oregano, sundried toms and pepper
- add in the tin of tomatoes and puree, rinsing the tin with the hot water into the pan
- bring to boil then turn down for 15 minutes or so
- turn on the oven to warm, 160 degrees C
- add the beans and and greens and continue to cook for another 15- 20 minutes till veg are tender
- season with salt and more pepper if needed
- in the meantime you will have prepared the dumplings: mix the dry ingredients in a bowl then add the water to bind to a gooey consistencty, just enough water to wet everything
- transfer your stew to your casserole.
- Use an icecream scoop to add dollops of dumpling mix on the top. Put the lid on the casserole.
- Cook in the oven for 45 minutes or so
- OMG when you take the lid off – yummy
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