12 Mar Experiments with a Mexican bean stew
I have been feeling very experimental with cookery lately. The last three nights I have had different versions of a Mexican chicken and black bean stew that was simmered with canned tomatoes and chicken stock on the stove top.
It was a juicy stew with ample black beans, bites of onion and chunks of organic, free range chicken. The first night I ate it on its own, and it was tasty with a splash of lime juice and a sprinkling of coriander leaves on the top. The next day I realised that I could have added a whole lot more vegetables to the meal, which was basically just chicken, beans, tomatoes, garlic and onion (and spices such as cumin, paprika and oregano).
Night two
I sautéed half a zucchini, bunch of broccolini and a large Swiss brown mushroom. Then I poured some of the warmed stew over the vegetables. . . It was okay I suppose (I wondered if would be like nachos with a vegetable base), but not especially nice. Perhaps it would have been better if the vegetables were a part of the original concoction.
Night three
Tonight I wondered if I could make some kind of low-carb rice to go with the dish. Although cauliflower rice is classic, I do not have cauliflower, so I made a very experimental mix of zucchini and bok choy stems. Once sautéed on the stove top for a few minutes I seasoned it with lime juice and cumin, and it was quite delicious with the Mexican bean stew.
Satisfying way to cook – if somewhat underwhelming at times
It has been a fun week of interesting experiments. One of the joys of cooking for one is that there is no one else to worry about if an experiment goes awry! It is a good opportunity to learn via trial and error.
No Comments