Baby Potato and Black-Eyed Pea Stew

Who doesn't want a warm stew during the winter months? It’s filling, warms the body, and can be customized to your liking. Whenever I make stew, I there are certain elements I include that make for a flavourful soup or stew, here is the breakdown:

Mirepoix and garlic. These four ingredients are just as critical to any soup or stew as salt and pepper! They add much-needed flavour. Sugars from the onion help them caramelize and add to the umami that makes the dish complete and enhances the stew, along with the garlic, carrots and celery.

Spices and fat. All stews need seasoning beyond salt and pepper for a depth of flavour, intensified by the blooming method of coaxing them out in heated oil or butter. This stew holds a curry profile, making the curry powder, smoked paprika, turmeric, coriander and cumin most important. Optional, but the chilli flakes and pepper sauce add a great punch that makes the stew heartier.

Starch and legumes. I always include one legume or bean and one starch to add some substance and thicken the stew. In this case, of course, it was baby potatoes and black-eyed peas. The potatoes are easy to eat and absorb all the flavour. As for black-eyed peas, they are one of my favourite legumes for a reason!

Tomatoes and cream. These two ingredients add acidity, depth of flavour and creaminess. You can use heavy cream, but I typically use coconut for interesting flavour and because it’s dairy-free.

Ingredients

1 can black-eyed peas, drained

1 1/2 cups small potatoes, boiled and halved

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 can diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons fresh minced garlic

1/2 yellow onion, diced

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon fenugreek powder

1 tablespoon rice seasoning (optional)

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

Fresh parsley to garnish

1 tablespoon cumin

2 broth sachets

1 tablespoon coriander

1 tablespoon dried parsley

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon chili flakes

1/4 cup pepper sauce

2 bay leaves

2 cups water

1 small (5-ounce) can coconut cream

Instructions

In a large pot over medium heat, sauté the garlic and mirepoix in the olive oil and butter for 3 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.

Add the spices and broth sachets, bloom for 2 minutes, stirring to make sure they don't burn.

Once fragrant, add the tomatoes, stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the black-eyed peas, cook for another 2 minutes.

Pour in the coconut cream and dried herbs (Italian seasoning and parsley). Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

Stir in the pepper sauce, soy sauce, water, and bay leaves. Reduce the heat and put the lid on the pot. Simmer for 20 minutes on low heat and stir frequently. This will thicken the stew and prevent burning at the bottom of the pot.

Remove from heat and season to taste with extra salt, pepper and chilli flakes if you want more heat.

Serve hot with fresh bread and garnish with fresh parsley.

Sweet Potato Soup

This is one of six plates I would serve if asked to make a 6-course meal or string of small plates/tapas based on Zimbabwean cuisine. I used ingredients that are commonly eaten or are considered a cornerstone of our cooking, but with a modern twist. 

The sweet potato. I've used it many times in several recipes on this website. It's one of the most widely-eaten starchy tubers in Zimbabwe so I had to use it.

There is nothing better than a thick, rich, flavourful soup and it’s not hard to achieve at all. No need to go to a restaurant for it! It’s all about the right combination of spices, rich broth, and a solid base. 

If I had more time and patience, I may have made my own homemade broth for it! Homemade is usually best.

Since sweet potatoes are starchy, they lend themselves well to soups and help thicken everything up. In this case, so does the tomato paste. It’s used in French cooking technique known as pincage which you add to mirepoix (a combination of celery, onion and carrots) which makes for a great soup base because of the flavour it adds. 

I also add the tomato paste because tomatoes are almost always present in the typical Zimbabwean kitchen and all over the markets year-round. They are also the base for most stews whether vegetarian or meat-based, it’s rare to find any Zimbabwean stew that has no tomato present. I also think it adds a flavour dimension that makes soup have more depth of flavor.

Ingredients

1 large sweet potato

1 cup mirepoix (2 parts diced onion, 1 part celery, 1 part carrot)

2-3 bay leaves

1 tablespoon hot Madras curry powder

1 teaspoon fenugreek powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon coriander

1 tablespoon black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 tablespoons hot mango chutney

1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped

1 (6-oz) can tomato paste

2 bouillon cubes

3-4 cups water

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

Instructions

Peel and dice the sweet potato. In a large pot, heat the butter and oil with the garlic until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Add all the spices and the sage, cook for another 2-3 minutes. 

Mix in the mirepoix and chutney until evenly coated and cook until the vegetables begin to soften. 

Add in the tomato paste and stir frequently to form a pincage - cook for another 2-3 minutes until it begins to brown. 

Pour in the water and reduce the heat to simmer. Add the bay leaves and cover with a lid for about 30 minutes or until the sweet potato softens. You'll want to regularly check your soup and stir occasionally. The soup will be thick and flagrant, add a little bit more water if necessary.

Set aside and cool the soup down. Once cooled, take out a few whole sweet potato cubes. Pour the soup into a blender or use a hand blender to puree the soup until smooth or your desired texture.

Garnish with croutons, fresh sage, and sweet potato cubes you set aside. Serves 3-4.