Budget Beans and Tuna with Aioli

I tried this recipe when I was looking to incorporate more beans into my diet because they’re so cheap and apparently good for your heart. Another red meat free meal, it includes the staples of a frugal kitchen: stewed tomatoes, cans of tuna, beans and cheap white wine. This is another recipe with leeks that are sometimes a bit expensive out of season. Along with the clam juice, it’s often cheaper to try and pick these up at an ethnic grocery. Once I had this loose stew together, I honestly wasn’t enthusiastic about it and was warning my roommates that it might not be great. But scoop in some of the easy aioli and the meal takes a huge swerve. Finish the bottle of wine and you’ll have a proper French feast.



INGREDIENTS

• 15ml or 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 leek whites, halved and sliced thinly
• 4 stalks celery
• 1 hot pepper. Serrano or otherwise
• 10 ml or 2 tsp dried thyme
• 5ml or 1 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp or 2 ml salt
• 1 can (796 ml/28oz) coarsely chopped stewed tomatoes including juice
• 1 can (540ml/91oz) drained and rinsed white kidney beans or 500 ml/2cups cooked and drained beans
• 2 cans of tuna in water, drained and chopped

Easy aioli

• 3 gloves of minced garlic
• 250 ml or 1 cup of mayonnaise
• chives or chopped parsley

VARIATIONS

Use another fish? Maybe not one bought in a tin can. Red kidney beans, more spicey sauce. This meal reminds me of the french bouillabaisse, so maybe something stolen from such a recipe.

DIRECTIONS

• Heat oil in a skillet and add the celery and leeks
• When vegetables are soft add the hot pepper, thyme, pepper and salt and stir for 1 minute.
• Add tomatoes, clam juice and white wine and bring to a boil.
• Stir liquid until it is reduced by one-third, about 5 minutes
• Transfer liquid to slow cooker with beans and stir
• Cook until bubbling on low for 8 hours or 4 hours on high
• Add tuna and heat on high for 20 minutes
• For the aioli, combine ingredients well and top on the fish stew