Jamaican Black Bean Stew

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                            FOOD FUNNY
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This one from Rosemary Zwick might be funnier if it didn't have an
element of truth:

I was in McDonald's and I saw this kid take his Happy Meal
toy and throw it on the ground. His mom said, "Hey, you play
with that. There are children in China who are manufacturing those!"

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                            TODAY'S RECIPE
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You didn't think I would forget about our vegetarian friends this
week, did you? If you're a confirmed carnivore, this also makes
an excellent vegetable side dish.

Jamaican Black Bean Stew

1 lb (450 g) dried black beans, soaked overnight
1 bay (laurel) leaf
2 Tbs (30 ml) olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2-4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbs (15 ml) molasses
1 Tbs (15 ml) brown sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) mustard powder
1 tsp (5 ml) dried thyme
1 tsp (5 ml) red pepper flakes, or to taste
2 cups (500 ml) vegetable stock or water
1 red bell pepper (capsicum), cored, seeded, and chopped
1 green bell pepper (capsicum), cored, seeded, and chopped
1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and diced
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine the beans and bay leaf in a pot, add enough water to
cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and
simmer covered until the beans are tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
Drain the beans and discard the bay leaf. Heat the oil in a large
pot over moderate heat and saute the onion and garlic until tender
but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add the molasses, brown sugar,
mustard powder, thyme, and pepper flakes and cook for 1 minute.
Add the beans and the remaining ingredients, bring to a boil,
and simmer covered until the vegetables are tender, 20 to 30 minutes.
Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Thu Nov 11 05:58:59 2010