When you go to your local wine purveyor to ask about a wine that will pair with Red Bean Stew, you really are setting up for a challenge.  And, luckily in my case, our local wine and cheese shop, Tutto Bene, has a very knowledgeable owner, Wendi Wilkins, who hit this recommendation out of the park. 

This wine, Seven Sinners (2015), is created from a 100% Syrah from Central Valley of California around Lodi. Deep red, and velvety in color, the wine is tastes big and jammy to me with some nice spiciness. My palate may still be under construction, but I know what I like, and I like this wine. A lot! And who knew? It was perfect with the Red Bean Stew I adapted from the New York Times’ Martha Rose Shulman for Meatless Monday. Head over to Tutto Bene before Wendi runs out. Because, as Wendi tells it, you will be sad when you run out.

Red Bean Stew

Adapted from Martha Rose Shulman, New York Times

We tend to eat mainly plant-based in our house and off and on I’ve eaten strictly vegetarian meals for much of the last 30 years. Mondays are generally Meatless Mondays around here, no matter what, so tonight I gave this hearty red bean stew a try.  Don’t let the preparation of the beans intimidate you. Once you’ve prepared dry beans from scratch, you’ll have a difficult time going back to canned beans with (as Sara Moulton would say), their lovely gelatinous material.  Just plan ahead and it will all be fine.

Ingredients

• 1 pound (2 1/4 cups) red beans, washed, picked over & soaked for 6 hours or overnight in 2 quarts of water
• 2 TBPS extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium or large onion, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large green pepper, cut into small dice
• 2 TBSP sweet Hungarian paprika
• 2 TBSP tomato paste
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt
• 1 tsp oregano
• Pinch cayenne (I substituted 2 TBSP-you read that right-Sriracha Sauce)
• 2 TBSP red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• Freshly ground black papper
• 1/2 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup drained yogurt (I used Greek yougurt – 0% fat)

Method

1. Drain the beans through a strainer set over a bowl, Place the beans in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. Measure the soaking water in the bowl and add enough water to measure about 2 quarts (this is less than NYT recipe called for). Add to the pot with the beans, turn the heat to medium high and bring to a gentle boil. Skim off any foam and/or bean skins.
2. [This is my adaptation]. Drain the cooked beans (I let them simmer for about 30 minutes), reserving the cooking liquid. Wipe out the pan or dutch oven and continue with step 3.
3. Heat 1 TBSP of the oil over medium heat and add the onions, carrots, and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender and fragrant (about 8-10 min). Add 2 of the garlic cloves and continue to cook for another minute or so. Season with salt, add another TBSP oil and add the paprika. Cook, stirring for a couple of minutes until the vegetables are well coated with paprika. Add a ladleful of the bean cooking water to deglaze the pan then stir in the beans and add the rest of the bean water (should be about 2 quarts of liquid). Add tomato paste and bay leaf, reduce heat and simmer for an hour with the cover on.
4. Add oregano, remaining garlic, sriracha (or cayenne if you really don’t want this to be spicy), vinegar and sugar. Simmer for another hour. Beans should be thoroughly cooked at this point (i.e., not crunchy!). If you want the broth a bit thicker, take about a cup of the beans out of the pan and mash or blend them. Return this to the pan.
5. Just before serving, stir in the parsley. Serve with large dollop of the drained yogurt.