Good Eating Monday: White Bean & Meat Stew!

The holidays are over. Back to real life.

I'll be working on putting away Christmas decorations this week. Today I'm washing bed sheets & other laundry and also decided this window to do a thorough clean-up around the guest bedroom window. Winter water condensation creates mold on the caulk at the edge and being the window I see least, I think I missed cleaning it this past spring, so it's in serious need of attention.

Today's Good Eating recipe is for White Bean & Meat Stew that's based on a Turkish recipe. 

I have a little Turkish cookbook written by Gulseren Ramazanoglu that I bought years ago in the late 70's at the Air Force Base bookstore when I was stationed in Turkey that serves as the inspiration point for a recipe that has become by own.  
What makes this recipe deliciously different from plain o' American ham & beans is the tomatoes, Bell Pepper & Paprika that give it a rich, smoky flavor!
You can use any meat. Though, the original recipe calls for cubed lamb, but the author notes that "sausages, salami, bacon or ground meat can substituted."
I used leftover ham, but leftover roast beef, turkey or even chicken would work splendidly! 

The main thing is using diced canned tomatoes, fresh green Bell Pepper and a generous amount of Paprika! (This recipe is absolutely NOT spicy.)
What I'm sharing is my own take on the recipe to be used in a large, oval 6-quart slow-cooker that includes canned white beans & canned tomatoes that will serve about 8 to 10 people. 

This picture is one from Pinterest that has
the approximate look of the dish.

White Bean & Meat Stew

5 (15oz) cans of reduced salt white Northern beans, 3 drained; two not.

1 can of diced tomatoes with liquid

2 to 3 cups of meat chunks (beef, kielbasa, ham, lamb, turkey or chicken.)

1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup of diced onion, sauteed 

3 fresh green Bell Peppers, seeded & sliced into 1/4 inch strips.

3 to 4 Tablespoons Paprika

2 cups of warm water with one packet of reduced salt chicken bouillon mixed in

1 teaspoon salt 

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions:

Spray inside of slow-cooker with oil cooking spray. Add 2 cans of beans with liquid; drain just the other 3 in a colander, then add those beans to slow cooker. Add the can of diced tomatoes with liquid. (The diced tomatoes can  be plain or any seasoned kind you have on hand. I used a can of diced tomatoes with basil & oregano.) Add reduced salt chicken bouillon to 2 cups of warm water, mix well, then add to slow-cooker (or you can use any broth you have handy.) Finally stir in minced garlic, sauteed diced onion, Bell Pepper Strips & Paprika until well combined.
Cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours.
This makes a very thick stew as the canned beans break-down during cooking. During last 30 minutes prior to serving, you'll on to do taste check to make sure it's salty enough for your tastes, so you can stir in a bit extra, if needed. If stew seems too thick, you can add a little warm water also.

Serve hot with fresh bread chunks, cornbread or garlic bread.
Enjoy!

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The fresh green Bell Pepper, canned diced tomatoes & Paprika are the most important flavor elements to this recipe!

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Eat up, me hearties, yo-ho!