One of my favourites from home – very simple to make.  The only hard part is the blending of the beans but don’t worry if you can’t mash them too well out at camp!

Ingredients – Serves 4

• 2 tbsp Vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 green pepper, deseeded and sliced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 140z can of black-eyed beans
• 8oz of ground beef
• 1sp each of ground cumon, chilli powder and paprika
• 1/4 cabbage, sliced
• 8oz tin of plum tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 20 oz pint of beef stock
• salt and pepper

What you’ll need

• Dutch oven
• 24 coals
• something to lift the hot lid
• knife and chopping board
• tea spoon or a good eye
• something to mash beans up with.
• wooden spoon
• a discerning group of Boy Scout leaders to help you eat it.

Method

1. Heat the oil in the dutch oven from below with 12 coals.
2. Add the onion and garlocand cook, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes.
3. Add the pepper and carrots and cook for a further 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, drain the juice from the beans and add 2/3 of the tin of beans and mash/blend together (maybe a sieve or colander would help if you have one).  Try to get them as smooth as possible.
5. Add the beef to the Dutch Oven and cook, stiring continuously to break up all the lumps of beef and until it is well browned.
6. Add the spices and cook for 2 minutes.
7. Add the Cabbage, tomatoes and stock, pureed beans.
8. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
9. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. or until the veggies are tender.
10. Stire in the whle beans, cover and simmer for 5 more minutes.
11. Ladle into warm bowls.

Variations

Any veggies you have are great – in particular, mushrooms, celery, sweetcorn.