Smokey & Spicy Bean, Pepper & Sweet Potato Casserole with Cheese Dumplings & a Lime Avocado Salsa

This is a hearty veggie dish that you can really make your own heat-wise and use up any veg that needs it. Prep dried beans the day before by soaking them overnight and boiling them for a good 60 minutes before use. Alternatively use a can or carton of your favourite ones. Preferably use a wide shallow casserole pan that can go in the oven as well as on the stove top.

The dumplings are super easy and a totally delicious accompaniment! The salsa a delicious squirt of acid giving the dish a Mexican twist.

Ingredients:

1 large sweet potato, piled and cubed

1 large onion, diced

1 red or green pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 1/2 cups of mixed cooked beans (kidney, black, cannellini, black eyed peas etc)

1 can of chopped tomatoes

1 tbsp tomato puree

1 tsp smoked paprika + 1 large red chilli sliced OR 1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes OR 1/4 Habenero Scotch Bonnet Chilli - slice with care! Whatever you have.

OR a dessert spoon of Chipotle Paste

1/2 tsp salt

For 4 dumplings:

60g self raising flour

30g butter

30g grated cheddar cheese

Salsa

1 medium avocado

Juice of a lime

Method:

Turn your oven to 200 degrees. Gently sweat the onions in oil for 5 minutes, and then add the sweet potato chunks and a splash of water from the kettle. Add the paprika and chilli, or the chipotle paste, or all 3 if you’re going for it and mix. Then add the red pepper, the tomatoes, the puree, the garlic and lastly the beans. Stir gently, bring to a boil, adding more water if needed and then turn down a simmer. Cook for around 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft. Test the seasoning.

Meanwhile prep the dumplings by rubbing the butter gently into the flour until it resembles bread crumbs. Then add the cheese. You can use vegan cheese of course. Mould the dough into 4 little dumplings and space them out on the top of the casserole. Place it in the oven without a lid for about another 20 minutes, or until the dumplings have puffed up.

Chop up the avocado and immediately squeeze the juice of the lime all over it.

Serve with or without a warmed flat bread, a dollop of sour cream, some nachos, or just by itself. Delicious!