Minestrone Bean Stew Recipe

Serves

Ingredients

1tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, grated
1 leek, finely sliced
2 celery sticks, chopped
2 sprigs rosemary
handful organic red chard or baby spinach leaves
handful organic kale, de-stemmed and chopped
4 organic carrots, cleaned and chopped
4 plum tomatoes, skins removed
190g dried red lentils
400g tinned kidney beans, rinsed
400g tinned cannellini beans, rinsed
1.5 litres chicken bone broth or veg stock
2 large bay leaves
salt and pepper, to taste
6tsp parsley gremolata

Method

Put the olive oil in a large stockpot, and add the onion, 3 garlic cloves, the leek and the celery.

Allow to sweat gently with the lid on until softened.

Add in the rest of the ingredients, except the remaining garlic clove, stirring gently. If you are using spinach leaves instead of chard, add these at the very end.

Cook on a low heat for 45 minutes until the vegetables are tender.

Adjust the seasoning if necessary.

I like to grate the last garlic clove in at this stage to enhance the flavour, or you can top the stew with some parsley gremolata.

Recipe from The Menopause Kitchen by Rachel Graham, published by Gill Books. Photography by Jo Murphy

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