Hi everyone and please click on the title of this post to read more. I feel i need to pose a question: Am I coddling you? Am I making recipes too easy for you and not challenging you enough? Well, it’s time to step up and have us all try to push ourselves a little so that we can experience the whole process and know that these cooking projects are doable.
To start, let’s focus on the easy part of the following delicious recipe, Spanish Chickpea Stew, that is worth investing your time. After you cook the onions and garlic, you literally throw all the other ingredients in and let it simmer-that’s it! The more involved aspect of this recipe is that you do have to prepare the fish by soaking it for 24 hours, cook the potatoes first, and then soak the saffron for 15 minutes. Does that sound so terrible? No! It just takes a little planning. Don’t we all plan everything else in our life? Why not the nutrients we put in our body?
This is a recipe that is healthy, hearty and will remind you of all the wonderful memories you have from visiting or in my case, living, in Spain. It freezes well so I am giving you a recipe that will fill a HUGE stockpot. If you don’t want to make this much, halve the recipe or even quarter it. Email me with any questions or concerns you may have about it. I am here for you! (See the mystery guest (Happy Birthday!) eating this dish and see me looking like the guy from ACDC.)
Spanish Chickpea Stew:
3 small chopped white onions
4 large cloves garlic, minced
8 small red potatoes, quartered and boiled or steamed until almost tender
1/2 lb bacalao (salted codfish), soaked for 24 hours , changing water at least 4 times, chop into 1/2 inch pieces (you can get at Whole Foods or any store selling Mediterranean food)
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
3 TBS olive oil
2 cups chicken broth
3 cans diced tomatoes
3.5 lbs cooked garbanzos or approx. 4 cans 15 oz. each
In a big, heavy pot, heat olive oil over medium flame and add onions until wilted. When wilted, add garlic and saute for a few minutes. Then add all the other ingredients and simmer for about 30-40 minutes until sauce is reduced and flavors are melded (until it tastes really good). Stir periodically, season to taste with salt and pepper and enjoy.
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One Response
I agree with the seafood-yet-not-fishy comment. Last night I had some of the stew you packed in a tupperware for me and I felt so healthy eating protein (fish) and fiber (do chickpeas have fiber?), and it was delicious. I feel I could make this stew, and yes it’s a bit intimidating to think about those 24 hours of soaking – even though I wouldn’t even have to be home to do it, right? 😉