What can I do to belly pork and butter bean stew to make it more tasty?

[limetrees32]

Ingredients below.
I did substitute fennel seeds for Caraway.
Having made two batches and eaten one , I'm loathe to throw away the remainder but didn't enjoy it.
Wondering if adding kale or something might lift it from it's heavy paprika infused brown state.

I’d say some honey for sweetness ans some cider or other vinegar.

And maybe some sliced green pepper and have on tacos like pulled pork…?

Stupid question, but did you season it?

It sounds lovely. I’d add a good squeeze of lemon to lift it a bit and serve a peppery salad on the side. Sometimes when a food seems a bit samey you just need to make it part of the meal not the whole thing.

Tin of tomatoes and some Tom puree if needed. It sounds a bit austere in its currently state and I can' imagine the sauce is a bit thin.

Smoked paprika, and some roasted cherry tomatoes.. I'd put lots of parsley and maybe some fried chorizo ( chunks from a whole sausage not the thin slices) to sprinkle on top

Any of the above to sort this batch out.
Next time replace the 1 3/4 pnts of water in the recipe with GOOD stock.

I’d have likely used chicken or veg stock or passata in that.
Even with a risotto/ Orzo with no tomato base I’ll stir through some stock and Parmesan for umami.

Salt & pepper for a start ! Where did you get the recipe ?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/porkandbutterbeanste_72960
It was this one
I did use chicken stock instead of water
Maybe it's just a duff recipe.
Or not to.my taste.
Though I enjoyed the crusty bread 🙂

sage?
apple?
thyme

Another stupid question-did you brown the pork?

And stock or wine rather than water.

I did brown the meat ,in batches and all.
And used stock and wine, no water.
Maybe it's just one of those recipes that doesn't work.
But I'm still wondering how to make second, uneaten ,batch more palatable.
Tomato puree ?

bit of mustard?

That is a recipe that needs generous salting, a stock cube won’t cut it

I think a good swig of sherry or sherry vinegar (at a push a small amount of balsamic or white wine vinegar) and - if you have it - some sweet paprika would make that balanced.

Salt. If a dish doesn't taste good always start with adding salt.

It has sweet paprika ,as per recipe.
I do love salt..
I'm going to consider all helpful suggestions and try not to go down the route of following ALL of them.
Drawn to idea of mustard ...powder/ Dijon ..?

I'd add a teaspoon of runny honey, zest and juice of a fresh lemon and some finely chopped fresh dill and parsley.

A tin of chopped tomatoes and some roasted red and orange peppers would work too.

I would shove in a chicken stock cube ( start with half and adjust for taste) and a lemon. Lemon makes everything taste better!

Why on earth hasn't it got onions in? I literally never make anything like this without two or three or four nicely browned onions to start the whole thing. Onions add far more flavour than garlic IMHO. I'd brown a few onions now and add them in and then re-cook for a while to allow the flavours to meld and develop. Nearly all meats especially need onions.

Apple, but sweet apples not baking apples, and a little honey to taste.

I think thr most was using carroway seeds instead of fennel. Completely different flavour profile.

I woild also go.with a bit of acid in the form of some vinegar - preferably sherry vinegar- and some.mustard and definitely salt and pepper.

I think lack of salt is probably the main culprit. And the easiest to remedy. Squeeze of lemon juice or splash of wine vinegar before serving also lifts most things