Spanish Chickpea and Almond Stew
Quick, easy and bursting with Spanish flavour, make Melissa Hemsley's Chickpea and Almond Stew for a satisfying midweek dinner.
From the book
Eat Happy: 30 Minute Feel-good Food
Easy midweek meals
Vegetarian mains
Feelgood desserts
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Introduction
Using store cupboard staples and spinach from the freezer, this Seville-inspired stew comes together in under 20 minutes and is a hit with everyone. You could swap the spinach for other greens, such as chopped chard, or add extra bits and bobs, such as a few tablespoons of capers, olives or chopped sun-dried tomatoes. I love this as a stew-like soup in a bowl, but you could make it thicker and serve with a side of quinoa.
Ingredients
| 3 tbsp | chopped or flaked almonds |
| 1½ tbsp | butter or ghee |
| 1 | large onion, finely chopped |
| 1 | large red or orange pepper, deseeded and chopped |
| 3 | garlic cloves, finely chopped |
| 1 | large handful of fresh parsley, stalks finely chopped and leaves roughly chopped |
| 1 tbsp | tomato purée |
| 2 x 400g | tins of chopped tomatoes |
| 2 x 400g | tins of chickpeas, drained and rinsed |
| 100ml | stock/bone broth or water (optional) |
| 250g | spinach |
| 1 tbsp | lemon juice |
| sea salt and black pepper | |
| extra-virgin olive oil, to serve | |
| Spices: | |
| 2 tsp | ground cumin |
| 2 tsp | smoked paprika |
| ¼ tsp | cayenne pepper |
Method
1. In a large, deep frying pan, toast the almonds over a medium heat for just under a minute until golden, then set aside. Melt the butter in the hot pan, add the onion and pepper and fry for 6 minutes until starting to soften.
2. Add the garlic, spices and parsley stalks and fry for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent them from burning, then add the tomato purée and cook for another 30 seconds.
3. Tip the tinned tomatoes into the pan, turn up the heat to a medium simmer and cook for 15 minutes, uncovered, to thicken and reduce. Add the chickpeas and cook for another 3 minutes with a lid on. If you want the stew to be more soup-like, add the stock.
4. Turn up the heat, drop in the spinach and cook for 1 minute, covered with the lid, then add the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve each bowl with a good drizzle of olive oil and with the parsley leaves and toasted almonds scattered over.
Reviews
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