Brothy Beans with Roasted Red Peppers and Lots of Dill

 

Serves 4-6
Total time: 40 min
Prep time: 15 min to 1 hour, if roasting peppers
Cooking time: 25 min

 

Who can resist a big pot of creamy beans? It's the perfect dish for a quick weeknight meal, but it can also be dressed up for a special Sunday lunch. This recipe takes you through the process of creating a comforting soup; from layering the ingredients to the point of serving it with a dash of olive oil, lots of fresh dill and roasted red pepper. Our extra virgin olive oil will help you build up and carry the deep flavours while adding coconut milk makes rich and sweet broth to cover the creamy butter beans. We added mouthfuls of roasted red peppers for extra texture and a pop of colour.

 

Ingredients

Pantry

5 tablespoons Honest Toil extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
1 tsp fennel seeds, roughly crushed in a pestle and mortar
2 x 400g (2x240g drained weight) can butter beans, drained and rinsed
1 x 400ml can full-fat coconut milk
800 ml water
Fine sea salt and black pepper to taste

Produce

4-6 large red bell peppers (or use jarred)
2 medium leeks
1 bunch spring onions
6 garlic cloves
a small bunch (25g) dill leaves

 

Make the roast red peppers

• Roast the peppers: this can be done the day before (up to 3 days). Preheat the oven to 200C, grill setting. Wash and pat dry the peppers. Add a few drops of olive oil to your hands and smear it all over the peppers to cover. Place the peppers on a baking tray and roast in the oven until charred and blistered on all sides, usually 30-40 minutes. Set them aside to cool.
  
  
• Peel the peppers: To peel the peppers cut the top off, then peel the blistered skin away. Slice the peppers open and remove the seeds using the back of a knife. You can do this under running water to speed up the process.
  
  
• Cut the peppers in halves or quarters, depending on the size you’re going for. The pepper is now ready.

 

Do a little vegetable prep

• Peel the outer layer off of two leeks. Slice some of the dried dark green ends off and slice them in half lengthwise. Set the leek cut side down on the cutting board and thinly slice. Add the sliced leeks to a colander and thoroughly wash under cold water to remove any dirt residue. Set aside in a bowl.
  
  
• Slice a bunch of spring onions. Discard any dried ends. Transfer them to the bowl with the leeks.
  
  
• Thinly slice 6 garlic cloves.
  
  
• Roughly chop 20g dill and add to a small bowl. Drizzle with 2 tbsp olive oil and stir.
  
  

Build the coconut-y butter bean stew

• Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the leeks and spring onions and cook, undisturbed, for a few minutes, then give it a good stir. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes longer.
  
  
• Push everything to one side of the pot. Add a glug of oil if needed, and add in the garlic. Cook until soft and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.
  
  
• Season with a hefty pinch of salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Stir in 1 tsp fennel seeds and let them bloom for 1 to 2 minutes.
  
  
• Add the drained and rinsed beans into the pot and smash about a handful of them against the side of the pot.
  
  
• Stir in the coconut milk and water. Bring the soup to a simmer over medium-high heat. Once it simmers, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
  
  
• Taste and more salt and black pepper as needed until it starts to taste really good.

 

Serve over mouthful pieces of roasted red pepper, generously drizzle with the dill oil and crack more black pepper.