What do you eat when you go home after a day in the public eye? This week YOU asks several well-known personalities about their comfort foods. We feature Western Cape Premier Helen Zille’s choice on YOU Mobi - see the print edition for more.
PAPRIKA BEEF AND BEAN SOUP
“After a long day at the office, especially now it’s so cold, I enjoy coming home to a mug of steaming soup made with vegetables and soup meat that have been simmering on the stove,” Zille says. “Delicious served with a thick slice of freshly baked bread.”
Serves 6
INGREDIENTS: 100 g black-eyed beans; grated rind of 3 lemons; 6 cloves garlic, crushed; 60 ml finely chopped parsley; 50 ml cake flour; 300 g stewing beef with bones, cut into pieces; salt and freshly ground black pepper; 30 ml paprika; 30 ml olive oil; 80 ml can tomato paste; 2 onions, finely chopped; 1 red pepper, diced; 2 litres beef stock; extra lemon rind and chopped; parsley to garnish.
METHOD: Cover the beans with plenty of water and soak them overnight. Using a mortar and pestle pound together the lemon rind, garlic and parsley to form a paste. Season the flour with salt and pepper, add half the paprika and roll the meat in the flour mixture. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron pot and rapidly brown the meat in small batches. Return all the meat to the pot, add the lemon rind paste, tomato paste, onions, red pepper and remaining paprika. Add the stock and simmer for 30 minutes or until the meat is tender. Drain the soaked beans, add to the soup and simmer for another 25 minutes over medium heat or until soft. Add more water if necessary. Garnish with extra lemon rind and chopped parsley and serve with fresh farm bread.
