Spanish Chickpea Stew
I was introduced to Spanish cooking almost 20 years ago, thanks to an old neighbor. Jay and his wife Kim would throw Spanish parties with a fabulous spread of food and decor including the flag from Spain. Those years influenced my cooking and I’m now the proud owner of 3 paella pans. Fast forward 19 years, I ran into this lovely couple last weekend which inspired me to come back home and stir up a new Spanish dish. Hearty and comforting, this rustic stew is full of flavor and loaded with chickpeas in a smoky tomato broth leaving your kitchen smelling like an authentic Spanish restaurant.
Ingredients
1 medium onion, finely diced
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup chopped bell pepper, any color or a combination of colors
1 - 15 ounce can diced fire-roasted tomatoes, do not drain
2 - 15 ounce cans low sodium chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 large potato, peeled and cut into 1/2” cubes
1/2 cup chopped kale
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
3 cups vegetable stock, I used PlantStrong Sofrito Broth
black pepper, a few grindings
Instructions
Heat a large pot over medium heat, add onions, garlic and bell pepper and saute until the onions are soft, adding a tablespoon or two of water to avoid sticking to the bottom. Stir in the thyme, smoked paprika and saffron and allow the flavor to release for 1 minute.
To the pot stir in bay leaf, fire-roasted tomatoes, chickpeas, potato, kale, and vegetable stock. Give it a good stir, increase heat and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to maintain a low simmer.
Simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Check potatoes to see if they’re tender, if not simmer a few minutes longer, also adjust seasoning at this time if you’d like to add a bit more smoked paprika.
Remove from heat, remove the bay leaf and ladle into shallow bowls serving with a crusty bread. Feel free to garnish with additional freshly chopped kale. Is also delicious served with a side of your favorite cooked grain such as brown rice or whole wheat couscous.
Serves 4
