So almost a full year ago (11 months but who is counting), one of my nieces sent me an email that went a little something like this (or exactly like this since I have totally "cut and paste" it):
Hey Aunt Sooz!
Wanted to share this recipe with you since I'm pretty sure you're the only person who might find it potentially appealing! Made it on Monday with crunchy PB, kale (instead of collard greens), plus a chopped sweet potato and half a can of chickpeas; served on brown rice. Even Andy actually liked it (had two bowls!).Anyway, just snuck down to sneak in a few bites of the leftover and was like, "I have to share this with Sooz! She deserves to know about this soup!"
Well what else can I do but try this soup/stew?!? Especially when there is such a glowing endorsement from her husband, a bonafide meat and potatoes picky eater if there ever was one in our family...or so I've been told...but not by my niece in case she gets in trouble for telling me this ?! (Crap, have I said too much again???) My niece Haley is also the one I wrote about when I tested out the Chicken "Osso Bucco" recipe many many moons ago. This recipe MUST be made I thought. I feel that I owe Haley at least this small gesture for kind of being part of the "veal fib" when she was a kid. Mostly my sister is to blame for that one though. Yup. True story. Any who, you may ask if it was so amazing why has it taken me a year to try it? I will reply, that it hasn't. I made it almost a year ago but just haven't posted it yet...it's like a fine wine or cheese, I was biding my time until the perfect moment presented itself. Which is now.Patience is a virtue. Plus I love keeping you on your toes by being unpredictable. I'm like that. It's all I have people, just go with it would you please?!
The already-adapted-original recipe states that this is a soup. I liken it to more of a stew. Sure it would classify as a hearty soup (my favourite) but I am going to go out on a limb here and say it's more stew like to me. In the end it doesn't really matter much how you define it. It's simply delicious and comforting on a chilly winter day. Super quick and easy to make for a meal during the week using ingredients that you probably already have in your fridge or pantry. As you can see by Haley's description of how she made it, compared to the recipe from "Cookie and Kate" (see below for link), compared to what I made...the recipe is easily modified to your taste preference. Add as much or as little hot sauce as you can handle. Add a dollop of plain yogourt to temper that hot sauce. Add cilantro if you love cilantro like we do here. Or not if cilantro reminds you of soap (weirdos.) Serve over some rice if you want an extra hearty meal. Add sweet potatoes like Haley and I did. Swap out Swiss Chard for Kale for Spinach. The choice is yours.
A meal worth the wait I promise. And worth sneaking an extra spoonful or bowlful as the case may be. Cheers from Bistro 164!
Vegetarian West African Peanut Stew
based on a recipe from Cookie and Kate
Serves: 4
Skill level: so freakin easy it's almost illegal
Taste level: warm, cosy, curl-up-next-to-a-fire-on-a-cold-winter's-day-goodness
Ingredients
6 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tbsp minced ginger
4 cloves of garlic, minced or 1-2 tbsp of minced garlic in oil
salt to taste
1 bunch of spinach (3 -4 cups or so), sliced into 1 inch strips (original recipe calls for kale or collard greens...I much prefer spinach!)
3/4 cup unsalted peanut butter (smooth or chunky- your choice)
1/2 cup tomato paste
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped into chunks
Hot sauce (like sriracha)
1/4 cup roughly chopped peanuts for garnish
Cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Rice, as a side (optional)
Directions
Pour the vegetable broth into a medium pot and bring to a boil. Add in the chopped onion, garlic, ginger, salt and sweet potato. Simmer at low-medium heat for roughly 20 minutes, or until the sweet potato is fork tender.
Meanwhile, in a medium sized, heat safe mixing bowl, combine your peanut butter and tomato paste. Once the broth has reached the desired heat, transfer 1-2 cups of it over to the PB/tomato paste mix. Whisk it all together until smooth. Pour the mix into the stew and stir until combined. Season with a splash or two or three (depending on your tolerance level) of the hot sauce. Simmer for another 15 minutes or so, stirring often. Add in your chopped/sliced spinach for the last 5 minutes.
Serve over rice (your preference as to type of rice...white, brown, basmati...it's all so good.) Garnish with some cilantro (mmmm cilantro), a sprinkle of chopped peanuts, a dollop of yogourt if you wish. Serve warm and cosy.
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