Description
Drawing from medieval peasant pottages, this rustic stew features dried beans, chickpeas, leeks, celery, and kale stalks slowly cooked with ramen packet broth for earthy, aromatic results. Multiple vegetables provide ample fiber and volume while legumes add staying power, making it ideal for batch cooking. A slight modern touch is using the flavor packets to mimic traditional herb infusions.
Cultural Background
Pottages were a staple dish across medieval Europe from the 12th to 15th centuries, especially among peasants who relied on one-pot simmering of available legumes, grains, and vegetables in a cauldron over the fire. These thick, nourishing stews drew from Roman and earlier traditions of pulse-based porridges but adapted to local seasonal produce like leeks and hardy greens. They provided sustenance during lean times with minimal ingredients and simple techniques passed down through households.
Recipe Info
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: 60 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 75 minutes
SERVINGS: 4
DIFFICULTY: Easy
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried beans, rinsed
- 1/2 cup dried chickpeas, rinsed
- 1/2 cup dried lentils, rinsed
- 3 large leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced
- 4 celery stalks, chopped
- 6 kale stalks, chopped into 1-inch pieces
- 3 ramen flavor packets, seasoning only
- 8 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
Instructions
- Rinse all dried legumes under cold water and add them to a large pot with 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer.
- Add the sliced leeks, chopped celery, chopped kale stalks, and contents of the 3 ramen flavor packets to the pot. Stir to combine and distribute the seasoning evenly.
- Cover the pot partially and simmer over medium-low heat for 50-60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beans and chickpeas are tender and the stew has thickened to a porridge-like consistency. Add more water if it becomes too thick.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt as needed. The pottage is ready when the vegetables are soft and the flavors have melded into an earthy broth.
Tips
- Soak the dried beans and chickpeas overnight in water beforehand if time allows to reduce overall cooking time and improve digestibility.
- Avoid over-stirring during the last 20 minutes to prevent the legumes from breaking down too much and losing texture.
- Substitute additional kale leaves or other available greens for the stalks if desired for extra volume and fiber.
Nutrition
Calories: 280
Protein: 14g
Carbs: 48g
Fat: 2g