Equipment
Ingredients
Stew Base
- 350 g black-eyed beans
- 900 g sirloin steak, cut into 1cm cubes
- 325 ml vegetable oil
- 100 g onion, chopped
- 4 garlic, finely chopped
- 15 g ginger, grated
- 6 g red pepper flakes
- 800 g canned tomatoes
- 33 g tomato paste
- 2 beef stock cubes
- 6 g thyme
- 1 scotch bonnet chili, chopped
- salt, to taste
- black pepper, to taste
Plantain
- 3 ripe plantain, peeled and sliced
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Boil the dried black-eyed beans in a large pan of water (100°C/212°F) for 20 minutes until tender.
Drain the cooked beans and set them aside.
Heat 30ml of vegetable oil in a large casserole dish over medium heat.
Brown the cubed sirloin steak on all sides in the casserole dish.
Remove the browned beef from the dish and set it aside on a plate.
Add 100ml of vegetable oil to the same casserole dish.
Sauté the chopped onion for 3 minutes until slightly softened.
Stir in the finely chopped garlic, grated ginger, and red pepper flakes.
Incorporate the canned tomatoes, tomato paste, crumbled beef stock cubes, thyme, and chopped scotch bonnet.
Season with salt and pepper, then simmer the tomato mixture for 10 minutes (90°C/194°F).
Return the browned beef and the cooked beans to the casserole dish.
Cover the dish and cook on low heat (85°C/185°F) for 60 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Heat the remaining vegetable oil (approx. 195ml) in a frying pan over medium-high heat (175°C/350°F).
Fry the sliced plantains in batches for 3 minutes per side until golden brown.
Remove the plantains and drain on a plate lined with paper towels.
Serve the stew in bowls topped with the fried plantain slices.
Chef's Notes
- For the most tender beef, consider using a cut like chuck roast, which benefits from slow cooking. Ensure the beef is well-browned to develop a deep, savory flavor base.
- Don't skip the step of pre-boiling the black-eyed beans. This ensures they are perfectly tender and not chalky in the final stew.
- When frying the plantains, ensure the oil is at the correct temperature. Too cool, and they'll be greasy; too hot, and they'll burn before cooking through.
- Adjust the scotch bonnet chili to your heat preference. For less heat, remove the seeds and membranes before chopping, or use a milder chili like a habanero.
- The stew benefits from resting. If possible, let it sit for 10-15 minutes off the heat before serving, allowing the flavors to meld.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store stew and plantains separately to maintain plantain texture.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze stew only; plantains do not freeze well after frying.
Reheating: Reheat stew on the stovetop until it reaches an internal temperature of 74°C/165°F.
