Serves 6
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup flour
1 medium sized onion, diced large
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 heaping cup sweet red peppers, diced large (or one red bell pepper)
2 cups cherry tomatoes (or chopped tomatoes)
1 teaspoon salt
Fresh black pepper
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
8 springs fresh thyme (plus extra for garnish)
2 1/2 to 3 cups vegetable broth at room temperature
2 cups okra (about 10 oz) sliced 1/4 inch thick or so
1 1/2 cups cooked kidney beans (a 15 oz can, rinsed and drained)
1 1/2 cup cooked garbanzo beans (a 15 oz can, rinsed and drained)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Directions:
- Rice for serving (I used a pretty pink rice)
- First we’re going to make a roux, but it has a little less fat than
a traditional roux, which means it doesn’t get as goopy. If you’d like a
more traditional roux, just add 3 more tablespoons of vegetable oil.
Okay, so, let’s proceed.
- Preheat a large, heavy bottom pot over medium-low heat. The wider
the pot the better, so that you have lots of surface area to make your
roux.
- Add the oil and sprinkle in the flour. Use a wooden spatula to toss
the flour in the oil, and stir pretty consistently for 3 to 4 minutes,
until the flour is clumpy and toasty.
- Add the onion and salt, and toss to coat the onions completely in
the flour mixture. As the onions release moisture, they will coat more
and more. Cook this way for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add garlic and
stir for 30 seconds or so.
- Add the peppers and tomatoes and cook down for about 10 more
minutes. If using cherry tomatoes, place a cover on the pot to get them
to cook faster and release moisture. As the tomatoes break down, the
mixture should become thick and pasty.
- Season with fresh black pepper, add bay leaves, smoked paprika and
thyme and mix well.
- Stream in the 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth, stirring constantly to
prevent clumping. Add the okra and beans, then turn the heat up and
cover to bring to a boil. Stir occasionally.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and let cook uncovered
for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the stew is nicely
thickened and the okra is tender. If it’s too thick, thin with up to 1/2
cup vegetable broth. If it’s not as thick as you like, just cook it a
bit longer.
- Add the lemon juice, and adjust salt and pepper to your liking. Let
it sit for 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves and thyme stems (if you can see
them) then serve in a big, wide bowl, topped with a scoop of rice and
garnished with fresh thyme.
Your question and comments are welcome
