Versatile vegetable stew

You can add any veg you like to this versatile stew. Just add root vegetables and squash at the beginning, green vegetables towards the end and frozen peas or sweetcorn at the last minute. Adding baked beans adds a little sweetness, plus fibre and protein.

Ingreadient:

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, finely diced
• 2 leeks, split lengthways up to the root several times, washed under running cold water then sliced thickly
• 2 carrots, cut into 1cm/½in dice
• 2 garlic cloves, finely diced
• 1 tsp sweet smoked paprika
• ½ tsp dried thyme
• 2 potatoes, peeled, cut into 1cm/½in dice
• 600ml/21fl oz vegetable stock
• ½ head cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 200g/7oz fine green beans, cut into 2cm/¾in pieces
• 1 x 400g/14oz tin baked beans
• 2 tbsp roughly chopped flatleaf parsley
• crusty bread, to serve
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

Direction

1. Heat a large frying pan or saucepan until medium hot, add the olive oil, onion and leeks and cook gently for 5 minutes until just softened.
2. Add the carrots, garlic, paprika and thyme and stir to combine. Cook for 5 minutes.
3. Add the potatoes and vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 5 minutes until the potatoes are just softening then add the cauliflower and simmer for another 5 minutes.
4. By now, all the vegetables should be nearly cooked. Add the green beans and baked beans and cook for 3 minutes then stir in the chopped parsley and season well with salt and pepper.
5. Serve with plenty of crusty bread.