Quick, quick, [slow] - food

Whilst I am staunch supporter of the Slow Food ethos; sometimes life doesn't give us that luxury, particularly on a week night. Monday called for a quick food solution, this then is a dish you can knock up with what's in the cupboards, and jazz up with some of the endless selection of herbs and spices you have if you're me. :-) (Adapted from a recipe in this book, incidentally a pretty good book.)
I'm afraid there's zero photos as once it was on the plate in front of us the hoover mode went on. The third left over that should have been my lunch the next day disappeared into the bottomless pit that is t'bloke in double quick time as well so that didn't get it's picture taken either!

Quick Red Beans

1 onion / leek [I used half of each.] chopped

1 field / 3-4 regular mushrooms sliced
1 fresh / dried chilli finely chopped [deseeded or not up to you]

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 carrot, chopped

1 tin kidney beans

0.5 tin chopped / whole tomatoes

2tbsp tomato puree

4tbsp water

Worcestershire sauce and/or Mushroom ketchup

Smoked paprika

S+P

EVOO

[If you want an accompaniment rice goes well. As I was chopping and stirring the bean dish I wanted to ignore the rice so just chucked the rice in the microwave. Rinse rice - put in bowl with 2x amount of boiling water and a veg stock cube. Bowl must be big enough for water to boil and rice to expand. Put on high for 12-16 mins - check packet.]

Heat oil in a decent sized saucepan over a pretty low heat.

Chop onion and leek and chuck in pan. Ditto mushroom.

Chop chilli [I used 2-3 wee dried ones - plenty] add to pan and cook all for a few mins to soften slightly.
Add garlic and coook few mins more.

Meanwhile drain and rinse beans well.

Add chopped carrot to pan.

Add beans to pan, stir.

Add about 0.5 tin toms - I tend to try and scoop out more of the chunks at this point, leaving the juice 'til later. If they're whole toms pull some out and roughly chop before adding to the pan. [Or if you want use the whole tin and either reduce before eating or have as more of a thick soup type dish]

Add the puree and water, stirring well to combine.

Add worcestershire sauce / mushroom ketchup to taste. [Remember Worcestershire sauce isn't truly veggie having anchovy in. You want the depth of flavour this or the MK gives; the kick should already be there from the chilli added earlier.]

Add smoked paprika - I find it's a very distinctive taste so a little goes a long way, I probably put in about 0.5tsp to this. Also add plenty of black pepper.

Cook all together until hot through - kidney beans should have at least 10 mins boil! Allow the flavours to meld and reduce the sauce as wanted. If it gets too reduced add some of the juice from the tinned toms / more water.

Dish up in a bowl with a spoon or on a plate with rice and just a fork and enjoy.

That's it - you could make it with any beans you happen to have in the cupboard. The original recipe doesn't use the tinned toms; just the puree so again, feel free to adjust as you like. I think it's worth having a couple of tins of 'value' range kidney beans and toms in the cupboard for these occasions. I also added the carrot and mushroom because I had them to hand - add what you have or just use the tin of beans. Quick, simple and cheap. :-)

Pic - the Slow Food Devon snail