Recipes, re-invented from cooking shows
Madesu
Prep. Time:
Baking Time:
Total Time:
25 min
1 hr 15 min
~1 hr 40 min
Serves:
4–6 servings (as a main)
Victoire created this dish for Top Chef ™ 20. Her madesu landed among the judges' top dishes of the night, with every bean praised as perfectly cooked and the seasoning called out as confident and well judged. A vivid pounded green herb sauce spooned over the rich, tomatoey beans gives the stew its...
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Ingredients
FOR THE MADESU (BEAN STEW)
3 tbsp / 45 ml red palm oil (traditional; see notes for substitutes)
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, grated or minced
1 tbsp / 15 g fresh ginger, grated
3 medium ripe tomatoes, grated or finely chopped
1 tbsp / 15 g tomato purée (paste)
½–1 Scotch bonnet or red chilli, whole or finely chopped, to taste
1½ cups / 300 g dried black-eyed beans, soaked overnight (or 2 x 400 g tins, drained)
1 bay leaf
2 cups / 500 ml vegetable or chicken stock, plus extra to loosen
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE POUNDED GREEN SAUCE
1 garlic clove
½ green chilli, to taste
¼ tsp salt, to taste
1 cup packed / 30 g flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems
½ cup packed / 15 g fresh coriander (cilantro), optional
3 spring onions (scallions), green and white parts
2 tbsp / 30 ml lemon or lime juice, plus zest, optional
3 tbsp / 45 ml neutral oil or olive oil, to loosen
Method
STEP 1: COOK THE BEANS
If using dried black-eyed beans, drain the soaked beans, cover generously with fresh water, and simmer with the bay leaf for 35–45 minutes until tender but not collapsing – every bean should be evenly cooked through, creamy inside but still holding its shape. (If using tinned beans, simply drain and rinse, then skip ahead.) Drain, reserving a cup of the cooking liquid.
STEP 2: BUILD THE AROMATIC BASE
Warm the red palm oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt, and cook gently for 6–8 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in the grated garlic and ginger and cook for a further minute until fragrant.
STEP 3: MAKE THE TOMATO FOUNDATION
Add the grated tomatoes and the tomato purée. Cook down for 8–10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the mixture darkens, thickens, and the oil begins to separate at the edges – this is how the stew gains its depth. Add the whole or chopped chilli to taste.
STEP 4: SIMMER THE STEW
Tip in the cooked beans and pour over the stock plus a little reserved bean liquid. Bring to a gentle simmer, season with salt and pepper, and cook uncovered for 20–25 minutes so the flavours marry and the sauce reduces to a loose, spoonable consistency. For body, lightly mash a few beans against the side of the pot. Taste and adjust the salt with confidence.
STEP 5: POUND THE GREEN SAUCE
While the stew simmers, make the green sauce. Using a mortar and pestle, work the garlic, chilli and a pinch of salt to a paste, then add the parsley, coriander and spring onions and pound to a coarse, vivid green relish. Loosen with the lemon or lime juice and oil to a spoonable sauce. (A few quick pulses in a small blender achieves the same result.) Keep it fresh and raw – its job is to cut through the rich beans.
STEP 6: SERVE
Ladle the madesu into warm bowls and spoon the green sauce generously over the top. Serve with rice, fufu, or plantain. The contrast of warm, savoury, tomatoey beans beneath a cool, herbaceous green sauce is the whole point of the dish.
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Instructions
FOR THE MADESU (BEAN STEW)
3 tbsp / 45 ml red palm oil (traditional; see notes for substitutes)
1 large onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, grated or minced
1 tbsp / 15 g fresh ginger, grated
3 medium ripe tomatoes, grated or finely chopped
1 tbsp / 15 g tomato purée (paste)
½–1 Scotch bonnet or red chilli, whole or finely chopped, to taste
1½ cups / 300 g dried black-eyed beans, soaked overnight (or 2 x 400 g tins, drained)
1 bay leaf
2 cups / 500 ml vegetable or chicken stock, plus extra to loosen
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE POUNDED GREEN SAUCE
1 garlic clove
½ green chilli, to taste
¼ tsp salt, to taste
1 cup packed / 30 g flat-leaf parsley, leaves and tender stems
½ cup packed / 15 g fresh coriander (cilantro), optional
3 spring onions (scallions), green and white parts
2 tbsp / 30 ml lemon or lime juice, plus zest, optional
3 tbsp / 45 ml neutral oil or olive oil, to loosen
Heading 5
Ingredients
STEP 1: COOK THE BEANS
If using dried black-eyed beans, drain the soaked beans, cover generously with fresh water, and simmer with the bay leaf for 35–45 minutes until tender but not collapsing – every bean should be evenly cooked through, creamy inside but still holding its shape. (If using tinned beans, simply drain and rinse, then skip ahead.) Drain, reserving a cup of the cooking liquid.
STEP 2: BUILD THE AROMATIC BASE
Warm the red palm oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and a pinch of salt, and cook gently for 6–8 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in the grated garlic and ginger and cook for a further minute until fragrant.
STEP 3: MAKE THE TOMATO FOUNDATION
Add the grated tomatoes and the tomato purée. Cook down for 8–10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the mixture darkens, thickens, and the oil begins to separate at the edges – this is how the stew gains its depth. Add the whole or chopped chilli to taste.
STEP 4: SIMMER THE STEW
Tip in the cooked beans and pour over the stock plus a little reserved bean liquid. Bring to a gentle simmer, season with salt and pepper, and cook uncovered for 20–25 minutes so the flavours marry and the sauce reduces to a loose, spoonable consistency. For body, lightly mash a few beans against the side of the pot. Taste and adjust the salt with confidence.
STEP 5: POUND THE GREEN SAUCE
While the stew simmers, make the green sauce. Using a mortar and pestle, work the garlic, chilli and a pinch of salt to a paste, then add the parsley, coriander and spring onions and pound to a coarse, vivid green relish. Loosen with the lemon or lime juice and oil to a spoonable sauce. (A few quick pulses in a small blender achieves the same result.) Keep it fresh and raw – its job is to cut through the rich beans.
STEP 6: SERVE
Ladle the madesu into warm bowls and spoon the green sauce generously over the top. Serve with rice, fufu, or plantain. The contrast of warm, savoury, tomatoey beans beneath a cool, herbaceous green sauce is the whole point of the dish.
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