Lobio

Having bought some Georgian Orange wine recently we simply had to match it to some traditional Georgian food. We did the Acharuli Khachapuri and the Nigvziani Badrijani but this bean stew was the best of the lot!

Ingredients

2 x 400g tinned Red Kidney Beans
100g walnuts, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tsp Hmeli-Suneli
½ tsp Cayenne pepper
400ml tomato pasata
1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar
100g fresh coriander, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
salt, pepper to a taste

Method

Drain the beans, reserve the liquid.  
(If you are using dried beans then soak and cook as per instructions.)

In a large heavy-based sauté pan fry the onion in the olive oil over a medium heat.  Cook until it softens. Add the Cayenne pepper and Hmeli-Suneli herb mix. 

Then add the beans, chopped walnuts, the tomato pasata and balsamic vinegar. 

Stir well. 

With a masher (or the back of a spoon) mash half of the red kidney beans. Then stir well again. 

Bring to a simmer and continue over a low heat for at least 10 minutes.  Add some of the reserved liquid if it gets too thick.

Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper and cayenne pepper.

Finally, add the chopped garlic and chopped fresh coriander and stir thoroughly to distribute evenly. 

After a minute remove from the heat, cover with a lid and allow to rest for a few minutes.

Eat hot or cold.