This healthy vegetarian stew is smoky, savory and satisfying thanks to creamy white beans, fire roasted tomatoes and roasted peppers. The stew is started on the stove top and finished in the oven. This method allows for the white beans to cook slowly and evenly, thickening the stew and making it smooth and hearty. There's a bit of heat from a jalapeno chili and some sparkle from a squeeze or two of lemon juice. Don't underestimate the power of lemon juice in this recipe. It elevates this dish with fresh citrus notes.
The spices used in this stew are common to Greek/Eastern Mediterranean cooking. Just a dash or two of cinnamon is all that's needed to add welcome warmth. You may not be able to identify it in the stew. But, you'll know that it tastes comforting. I love using marjoram in tomato sauce. I hope it soon becomes the new 'it' herb. Try it, you'll see. If you don't have marjoram, you can leave it out and just use oregano.