Spanish Butter Beans

I’m not entirely sure what is Spanish about this dish. I fancied eating butter beans in a rich and rustic tomato sauce, something like the flavours in the tapas dish patatas bravas, and this is the recipe that I arrived at. So, I suppose the inspiration for this vegetarian dish is Spanish. The end result has some of the characteristics of the tapas classic; rustic comfort food that is rich in flavour and texture. But, it doesn’t have a spicy kick or the deep fried potatoes so it is easier to make and a probably a lot healthier too. We ate these Spanish butter beans for lunch, with some fresh crusty bread. This recipe makes 2 adult sized portions and 1 toddler serving.

Ingredients

• 1 good glug of olive oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed or finely chopped
• 450g potatoes (around 4 small/medium sized potatoes), cubed
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme or rosemary, chopped
• 1 tin of butter beans, drained
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 bay leaf (optional)
• Good handful of fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. Fry the onion in the oil over a low heat for around 5 minutes. You are looking to soften the onions but without browning them.
2. Add the garlic and fry for a couple more minutes.
3. Add all the remaining ingredients except the fresh parsley. Stir well and add 150ml water. Cover the pan and simmer gently over a low heat.
4. Simmer the mixture until the potatoes are cooked and the sauce is rich and thick (see photo below). The time that this requires will depend on the size of your potato cubes (my dish took 35 minutes to cook). Stir the mixture occasionally so that it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
5. Remove the bay leaf and stir in the parsley.

Nutritional Highlights: Butter beans are a good source of iron and protein. They are also a very good source of fibre and Vitamin C. First servedat: 21 months A-L rating: She really enjoyed the butter beans in the tomato sauce. A-L is not a big fan of potatoes though so only ate them when they were chopped up. Freezer friendly? No Adult adaption: I enjoyed it with a good dose of freshly ground salt and pepper. Chilli would also be nice.

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