Creamy Red Beans with Potato and Tomato

Ingredients

• 2 cup red beans (dried)
• 1 lemon (divided; half for soaking and the other half for the end)
• water (sufficient quantity for soaking and covering the beans during cooking)
• 1 tbsp oil (for sautéing)
• 3 clove garlic (minced)
• 1 tomato (whole)
• 1 onion (whole or in large pieces)
• 1 potato (whole and peeled)
• 2 leaf bay leaf
• salt (to taste)

Steps

1. 1

   Place the two cups of red beans in a container. Add enough water to cover them and add the juice of half a lemon. Let soak for 20 minutes.

2. 2

   In a pot (preferably a pressure cooker or a deep pot), heat a little oil and add the three minced garlic cloves. Sauté until golden.

3. 3

   Drain the soaking water from the beans and add them to the pot along with the golden garlic.

4. 4

   Add the whole tomato, onion, peeled potato, and the two bay leaves to the pot. Cover with enough water.

5. 5

   Cover the pot and cook over medium-high heat for approximately 30 minutes. Ensure the water does not dry out during this process.

6. 6

   Once the vegetables are soft, remove the tomato, onion, and potato from the pot.

7. 7

   Place the tomato, onion, and potato in a blender. Process until a smooth and homogeneous cream is obtained.

8. 8

   Pour the resulting cream back into the pot with the beans and stir well to integrate the flavors.

9. 9

   Add the juice from the other half of the lemon and salt to taste.

10. 10

    Cook for a few additional minutes over low heat to allow it to thicken and the flavors to settle before serving.

Notes

Using lemon during the soak helps soften the beans. Be careful not to exceed the cooking time so that the beans do not completely fall apart before adding the cream. If you prefer them not to be tart, use less lemon at the end.

Nutrition per serving

• main course
• beans
• legumes
• homemade
• lunch
• vegetarian