What is better than a warm fire and a big bowl of comfort food on a winters night?

Pulses and lentils are a staple of the traditional Mediterranean diet. Black-eyed beans are a versatile superfood associated with multiple health benefits. If you have not tried them they are so easy to use, economical and delicious when used the right way.

This stew or soup although, it is more of a stew due to its consistency is the quintessential hearty and comforting dish.

Serves 4-6

Pressure Cooker Cooking Time 20 mins

Standard Cooking Time on High – Medium 50 mins

Prep Time ( not including soaking of beans) 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 400g tin mutti polpa tomatoes

1 red onion finely chopped

1 carrot finely chopped

1 celery stick finely chopped

200g English spinach roughly chopped

2 tbspns fresh not dried parsley

40ml olive oil

400g black-eyed beans soaked overnight. ( not tinned )

Method

Use the dried beans instead of the tinned variety for the added health benefits of this dish.

Soak the beans overnight or for a few hours in water. Ensure you have extra water as they will double in size. Strain the beans.

In a saucepan or ideally pressure cooker, brown all the vegetables except the parsley and spinach.

Add the strained beans that have been soaking overnight. Stir through on high heat for 2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and allow to cook on medium heat for 5 minutes. If it dries out add a l a quarter of a cup of water.

Add the 4 cups of water, half the herbs and half the spinach.

Allow to boil and seal the lid of the pressure cooker. Cook on high for 20 mins. After 15 minutes, remove from heat , depressurise the cooker and check if there is enough liquid, and the progress of your beans. Seal with the lid and cook for 5-10 minutes at a time checking in between. If the beans are not cooked but you have run out of liquid, then add 1 cup of water. If your cooking the beans in a standard saucepan keep the lid on mostly and cook on medium to high for 40 minutes adding one cup of water if your liquid is being absorbed by the beans.

Add the remainder of the parsley and spinach.

Cook for a further 5 minutes and serve with bread.