Smokey beans topped with feta cheese & coriander

Recipe and photograph – Dr Joan Ransley

Method

Warm the olive oil in a large pan and add the onion, celery, red peppers, garlic, smoked paprika and cumin. Cook for a few minutes until the vegetables are soft but not coloured.

Add the beans and chopped tomatoes to the vegetables. Fill one of the empty cans with water and add it to the pan. Add half of the chopped coriander. Stir well and bring the pan to the boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes until the tomato sauce is rich and thick. Add a splash of water if the sauce for the beans gets too dry.

Divide the beans between four plates and scatter with crumbled feta cheese and chopped coriander. Served with baked sweet potato wedges or wholemeal brown rice.

Alternative serving suggestion

To create a vegan version of this dish, leave out the feta cheese or replace with a cheese suitable for vegans.

Add a poach egg and a crisp, green salad to this dish a more substantial meal.

Mix your preferred combination of beans e.g., one tin of black beans and one can of cannellini beans. All tinned beans work well in this recipe.

Cheddar cheese can be used instead of feta cheese.

Chopped parsley can replace chopped coriander.

Cooking tips

Freshly grind cumin seeds for more flavour.

There is no need to rinse the tinned beans.

Both the tender stalks and leaves of coriander can be chopped up and used in recipes.