A Cajun-inspired hug in a bowl

When the air gets crisp and evenings call for sweaters, this stew shows up like an old friend. While this is a distant cousin of traditional bayou stews, it still soothes the soul on a cool autumn night.

Cajun cooking leans on a “holy trinity” of onion, bell pepper and celery, usually slow-cooked with beans for hours. It’s a riff on traditional French mirepoix, which contains onion, carrot and celery, but replacing carrot with red pepper adds a sharper, more autumn-earthy flavor.

Spoon it over rice, tear bread alongside, and let it warm you all the way through.

Shortcut red bean & shrimp stew
Serves 2-4

Ingredients:
1-2 tablespoons neutral oil
1 medium onion, rough chopped
1 red bell pepper, rough chopped
4 stalks of celery, rough chopped
1 small potato, cubed small
1 16-ounce can of red beans
1 16-ounce can chopped tomatoes
½ cup – 1 cup broth or water
1 lb medium shrimp
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon ground onion

Method:
Warm the oil in a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, and celery. Cook until they relax and gloss, about 6-8 minutes. Sprinkle in the cumin, coriander, red pepper flakes, and onion powder. Stir a minute to bloom the spices.

Add tomatoes with their juices and potatoes. Add water or broth until slightly soup-like but do not thin too much. Simmer on low for 10 minutes uncovered, until the potatoes are tender, add the beans and continue another 10 minutes on low. Now add the shrimp. When they just start to turn color and cook, turn off to allow meat to firm up and flavors to meld. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve hot – over rice or with torn bread.